Kevin Denkey joins the Queen City Press Podcast Insider show to talk about his second preseason with FC Cincinnati, changes he made during the offseason, bicycle kicks, goal celebrations and more.

Then, Laurel and Eric discuss the end of preseason, predictions and lineup projections (sort of), and we wrap up with some mailbag questions. You'll also hear the bulk of Pat Noonan's press conference from Thursday.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? The easiest way is to log into Patreon on your phone or through the app, open the “article” for the latest episode and click the “Listen in App” button on the top right side of the page. That will direct you from there. Otherwise, you can just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple/Spotify/etc. Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. You can also search on Spotify and that just requires syncing with Patreon. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Bucklew Insurance (@bucklewinsurance), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family, Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7) and Tom Niehaus. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

Queen City Press Podcast now features a second show that will serve as a weekly preview and be available to the general public.

The original show, hosted by Laurel and Eric Pfahler, is now called the "Insider," recapping matches, news and big trends, along with exclusive access to full interviews and bonus content (soon to include video clips of interviews as well).

MLSSoccer.com's Tyler Snipes joins Laurel as hosts of this new "Preview Show," which each week will take a look at the upcoming weekend match and include brief clips of interviews that can be heard in full on the "Insider." Episode 1 serves as a season preview and features a clip of Laurel's interview with Roman Celentano.

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Bucklew Insurance (@bucklewinsurance), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family, Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7) and Tom Niehaus. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati has been working through the international break, but Lukas Engel took some time to join Queen City Press Podcast for a bonus episode this week after a big win over Columbus Crew in the first round of the playoffs.

Eric and Laurel kick off the episode with a discussion on the new MLS calendar, and then Engel takes stage for a 25-minute segment on the playoffs, what this loan opportunity with FCC has meant for his career, why he's so versatile, the story behind his LEGO tattoo and more.

Next up for FCC is the Eastern Conference semifinal against Miami on Nov. 23, but we'll preview that in the coming days with another special guest.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? The easiest way is to log into Patreon on your phone or through the app, open the “article” for the latest episode and click the “Listen in App” button on the top right side of the page. That will direct you from there. Otherwise, you can just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple/Spotify/etc. Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. You can also search on Spotify and that just requires syncing with Patreon. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

It's finally match week! Long after FC Cincinnati completed its first-round series against New York Red Bulls with a penalty shootout win on Nov. 4, the Orange and Blue is finally in full preparation mode for the Eastern Conference semifinal against Philadelphia Union on Saturday.

In this episode, we discuss the matchup, as well as the news of the past two weeks, including Matt Miazga being named MLS Defender of the Year but officially being suspended for this weekend's match. Aaron Boupendza is back in town after his removal from the Gabon roster, so we also touch on that and his standing with FCC. 

Brandon Vazquez is the featured player in our "Player Spotlight," Miazga provides the "Quote of the Week" and Eric brings in his love of the Premier League with an "Olimpico" on Everton's recent punishment and how that will never happen in MLS. We wrap up with a couple of mailbag questions, as usual.

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. 

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press founding sponsors:

Margot Atelier(@margotatelier.us), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, Hangar937 (@Hangar937) on behalf of Mike Bowman, the Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Ryan Sparks (@TouchedArtist), Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Brad Weigel, Nick Armstrong, Ryan De La Rosa, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family and Tim Miller. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

Three weeks ago, as FC Cincinnati prepared for the start of its second MLS Cup Playoffs berth, I wrote an in-depth feature on general manager Chris Albright to give fans a peak into what has made him into such a successful leader in his short time running a sporting department.

The story included insight from Albright and Co-CEO Jeff Berding but also Philadelphia Union coach Jim Curtin and Houston Dynamo coach Ben Olsen, both whom have known Albright for more than two decades. Curtin and Olsen were both former teammates of Albright's and Curtin not only played with Albright, he also coached him briefly and then worked under him when Albright became technical director at Philadelphia in 2014.

I shared some clips of the interviews in a podcast episode the week that story published, and a few readers expressed interest in hearing more. So, as we await the end of the international break and FC Cincinnati's Eastern Conference semifinal Nov. 25 against Albright's hometown Philadelphia Union, I put together an audio story of the interviews from Albright, Curtin and Olsen -- individuals FCC fans don't hear from often. (I only excluded the audio from my interview with Berding because I recorded that one through a transcription program, and when I pulled the audio file from it, the quality of the sound was not good enough to share.)

The interviews are only slightly trimmed for conciseness.

We'll be back next week with a normal episode, but I hope you enjoy this bonus show. Let me know what you think!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press founding sponsors:

Margot Atelier(@margotatelier.us), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, Hangar937 (@Hangar937) on behalf of Mike Bowman, the Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Ryan Sparks (@TouchedArtist), Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Brad Weigel, Nick Armstrong, Ryan De La Rosa, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family and Tim Miller. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a shootout win at New York Red Bulls on Saturday but not without cost, as Obinna Nwobodo and Dom Badji picked up injuries and Matt Miazga's status is in question because of yellow card accumulation suspension and an alleged post-game incident with the officials.

Miazga is accused of entering of the officials' locker room after the game, though there is contradictory information regarding the incident. MLS is investigating.

In this episode, Laurel and Eric discuss the win Saturday and the drama surrounding it, plus we look ahead briefly as the next opponent was decided during recording of the podcast. FCC will be playing a rematch of last year's conference semifinal against the Philadelphia Union, this time at TQL Stadium on Nov. 25 or 26.

Also hear audio from Pat Noonan's postgame press conference, including the Quote of the Week, and a Player Spotlight on Aaron Boupendza, an Olimpico segment on a couple off-brand topics and reader questions in the mailbag.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press founding sponsors:

Margot Atelier(@margotatelier.us), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, Hangar937 (@Hangar937) on behalf of Mike Bowman, the Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Ryan Sparks (@TouchedArtist), Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Brad Weigel, Nick Armstrong, Ryan De La Rosa, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family and Tim Miller. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati collected a 3-0 win over New York Red Bulls on Sunday in the first game of a best-of-three first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs, but the depth of the back line is hurting with news of Nick Hagglund's season-ending leg injury and Alvas Powell's continued absence from training while he's dealing with a leg injury.

In this episode, Laurel and Eric recap the match and the overall health of the team and look ahead to Saturday’s match, which could be an elimination game for New York Red Bulls. Ian Murphy is the Player Spotlight feature, Matt Miazga provides the "Quote of the Week" and the Olimpico segment touches on some rules to be aware of going forward. 

You'll also hear an interview Laurel did with Junior Moreno this week as well, and the episode wraps up with a few mailbag questions.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press founding sponsors:

Margot Atelier(@margotatelier.us), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, Hangar937 (@Hangar937) on behalf of Mike Bowman, the Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Ryan Sparks (@TouchedArtist), Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Brad Weigel, Nick Armstrong, Ryan De La Rosa, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family and Tim Miller. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati announced Chris Albright's contract extension today but the latest episode of Queen City Press Podcast had already been recorded and sent for editing, so that will be a topic for next week.

In this episode, co-hosts Laurel and Eric discuss FC Cincinnati's 20th win of the season, one that knocked Inter Miami CF out of playoff contention on Saturday, as well as the 2-1 loss last Wednesday against New York Red Bulls, which was followed by the club's Supporters' Shield ceremony. (Also, please note a correction to mention of Luciano Acosta's 17th goal -- he scored his 16th goal against Red Bulls and was one behind Denis Bouanga before Bouanga then added two more goals Saturday to move to 19 on the season.)

Then, look ahead to the current international break ahead of the regular-season finale Oct. 21 against Atlanta United, and take a deep dive into what Matt Miazga brings the team in this week's "Player Spotlight." Luciano Acosta provides the "Quote of the Week," and the Olimpico -- touching on something unique in soccer -- focuses on a way FC Cincinnati might benefit from having Lionel Messi in the league.

And the episode wraps up with a few mailbag questions to preview a written, longer version coming later this week.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press founding sponsors:

Margot Atelier(@margotatelier.us), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, Hangar937 (@Hangar937) on behalf of Mike Bowman, the Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Ryan Sparks (@TouchedArtist), Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Brad Weigel, Nick Armstrong, Ryan De La Rosa, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family and Tim Miller. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati took a collective breath Saturday when the final whistle blew to seal a 2-1 win over the Columbus Crew in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series. There was plenty of joy mixed with that relief after beating the biggest rival to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for a third time in four years.

We discuss the significance, just how impressive the comeback was from a historical perspective on the season, Brenner's big moments and more. Plus, interviews with Roman Celentano and Nick Hagglund and the highlights from Pat Noonan's press conference.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? The easiest way is to log into Patreon on your phone or through the app, open the “article” for the latest episode and click the “Listen in App” button on the top right side of the page. That will direct you from there. Otherwise, you can just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple/Spotify/etc. Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. You can also search on Spotify and that just requires syncing with Patreon. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati dropped a crushing 4-0 loss to the Columbus Crew on Sunday in Game 2 of the "Hell is Real" first-round playoff series, and now faces a decisive Game 3 on Saturday.

We recap the loss, and then MLS Season Pass play-by-play announcer Steve Cangialosi joins Queen City Press Podcast to discuss the series, the ghosts of playoffs past and what's really on the line. Plus, hear Nick Hagglund speak on his Comeback Player of the Year award, as well as that Alec Kann interview you were promised last week regarding his retirement announcement.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? The easiest way is to log into Patreon on your phone or through the app, open the “article” for the latest episode and click the “Listen in App” button on the top right side of the page. That will direct you from there. Otherwise, you can just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple/Spotify/etc. Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

Kevin Denkey delivered the game-winner and FC Cincinnati's defense held on for a 1-0 win over the Columbus Crew on Monday in a "Hell is Real" first-round playoff series opener at TQL Stadium.

It was an electric environment and an encouraging start to the postseason, so we discuss that in this episode and then bring in MLS Season Pass studio analyst Dax McCarty for his takes on the match, what needs to happen for both teams in Game 2 and more.

You'll also hear a compilation of post-game interviews with Miles Robinson, Roman Celentano, Alvas Powell and Denkey.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

No frills in this episode, just a great chat with MLS Season Pass play-by-play broadcaster Jake Zivin, who will be calling at least the first two games of the "Hell is Real" first-round playoff series between FC Cincinnati and Columbus Crew.

Eric and Laurel already broke down the Decision Day win over Montreal in our regular episode earlier this week, so this is some bonus content to help gear you up for Monday's playoff opener. (We decided to give our awesome editor a break! Thanks for all you do, Stephen!)

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati cruised to a 3-0 win over CF Montreal on Decision Day and locked up the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and Supporters' Shield standings. Now the Orange and Blue face the Columbus Crew in a best-of-three "Hell is Real" derby for the first round of the playoffs.

We discuss the win over Montreal and the significance, especially given a depleted squad, and what to expect looking forward. Plus, more on why Laurel wrote a letter to MLS about media access, hear interviews with Obinna Nwobodo and Nick Hagglund and a brief mailbag.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati was off from competition this past week but controls its own destiny for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. A win Saturday against CF Montreal guarantees home-field advantage through the conference semifinals, and if Vancouver drops points in the finale, the Orange and Blue could ensure home-field advantage in the MLS Cup final, should they get that far.

In this slightly abbreviated episode, we break down the standings and what needs to happen, who FCC should want to face in the first round and an early peek at how the squad looks from a health and availability standpoint for Saturday. Plus, hear an interview with Obinna Nwobodo, who could potentially make his return to the pitch in the finale.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati beat New York Red Bulls 1-0 on the road Saturday to secure a top 3 finish in the Eastern Conference, but the Supporters' Shield is now off the table after the Philadelphia Union also won to clinch.

The Orange and Blue got an early goal on a wonder strike from Kevin Denkey and then managed to hold on over the final 78-plus minutes, though it didn't look pretty. We discuss the match, what it means for the final two weeks of the MLS season, injuries and Denkey's silly unsportsmanlike conduct for a fifth yellow card that will cost him to miss the finale and more.

Plus, interviews with Pat Noonan and Evan Louro and a couple topics from social media that we address in the mailbag.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

Editor's note: This podcast was recorded prior to Chicago's win over Miami on Tuesday night. With this result, New York Red Bulls are eliminated from playoff contention, and FC Cincinnati can finish higher than Miami even if both teams win out (both would finish with 65 points, but FCC would have the tiebreaker on wins).

FC Cincinnati conceded a goal in the 96th minute Sunday and settled for a 1-1 draw against Orlando City SC in a match that felt like a loss but one where FCC might have been fortunate to get a point.

We discuss the match, the Supporters Shield race and playoff picture as it stood after the weekend, what's ahead and the return of Obinna Nwobodo and Matt Miazga to training Tuesday. Hear interviews with Miles Robinson and Kevin Denkey and a couple of mailbag questions answered as usual.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati headed West and came home with an important 3-2 win over the L.A. Galaxy on Saturday, becoming the first team to collect at least 10 road wins in consecutive seasons.

Ender Echenique's speed paid off for the opening goal -- his first for FCC -- and Brenner recorded a brace, while Evander assisted all three goals on the night.

We discuss the match, how expectations re-set with Brenner's immediate production and how the Supporters' Shield race is shaping up going into another big game Sunday at home against Orlando City SC. Plus, the highlights from Pat Noonan's postgame press conference and a couple of mailbag questions.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati beat Detroit City FC in its third friendly and improved to 1-0-2, heading into the final week of the preseason.

We discuss Pat Noonan's lineup change, Kevin Denkey's third goal in three games and more, before sharing a pre-recorded chat with special guest Roman Celentano.

Topics covered with Celentano include his thoughts going into Year 5 of his MLS career, how the new 8-second rule changes his distribution, what preseason is like for players, whether he plans to keep the mustache and whether he has upgraded for good from carrying his things into TQL Stadium in a Kroger bag to an actual handbag.

In this episode, we also officially announce the launch of Queen City Press Podcast to a public audience as MLSSoccer.com's Tyler Snipes joins Laurel in a weekly preview show that will air on Fridays. You'll continue to get all the premium content as a paid subscriber, with what we are now calling "Insider" content, including more interviews with FC Cincinnati players and personnel, priority access to video interviews after practices and games and more.

After this episode, all ads will move to the public show. Our "Insider" edition will be ad free.

On that note: Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? The easiest way is to log into Patreon on your phone or through the app, open the “article” for the latest episode and click the “Listen in App” button on the top right side of the page. That will direct you from there. Otherwise, you can just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple/Spotify/etc. Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. You can also search on Spotify and that just requires syncing with Patreon. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Bucklew Insurance (@bucklewinsurance), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family, Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7) and Tom Niehaus. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

Sorry! Didn't attach the file the first time! Also, a correction - In the mailbag segment, when discussing why Yuya Kubo was not in the matchday squad, I mistakenly referred to Stiven Jimenez being the other midfielder on the bench, but that should have been Dado Valenzuela. My response still stands.

FC Cincinnati ended a three-game home skid Saturday with a dramatic 2-1 win over Nashville SC, thanks to Evander's last-minute heroics. He scored in the 98th minute to break a tie after Brenner had opened the scoring on Evander's assist in the 73rd minute, only to see Nashville find an equalizer after a flurry of injuries and substitutions.

We discuss the match, the significance of the win and what it means moving forward, as well as Miles Robinson's new DP contract for 2026 and 2027. You'll also hear clips of interviews with Pat Noonan, Evander and Nick Hagglund, and the episode wraps up with some mailbag questions.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

Updated to add the full audio of the media scrum with Chris Albight.

FC Cincinnati reset expectations during the winter when the club invested more than $30 million in transfer fees for attacking players, then backed the commitment to winning with a busy summer window that saw five new players added to the roster.

Fans clamoring for a trophy this year are right to expect one, FCC general manager Chris Albright said Tuesday during a scrum with local media, and he still believes Pat Noonan is the coach to lead the team to a championship.

The Orange and Blue sit in second in the Eastern Conference, five points behind the Supporters’ Shield-leading Philadelphia Union with five matches left, after a third straight home loss by a 1-0 score. Although recent results haven’t gone their way, Albright said with the investment in the roster, a trophy still is a realistic expectation.

“It should always be,” Albright said. “I mean, we do have a commitment from ownership that's, you know, among some of the best sort of expenditures in MLS. So yeah, that puts pressure on ourselves, that we welcome. That's why we do this. We want to win. We think we have a team that's built to win. Ultimately, there's few trophies to win, but, you know, we think we're still in the hunt for a couple of them, and sure, that's always going to be the expectation when we have the infrastructure we do and we have the people and players that we do.”

The club spent $16.2 million to acquire Kevin Denkey from Belgium’s Cercle Brugge in the winter and made a $12 million cash trade with Portland for 2024 league MVP finalist Evander to replace departed 2023 MVP Luciano Acosta. FCC also paid almost $3 million to Vasco da Gama to purchase Luca Orellano’s contract at the end of his 2024 loan.

FCC was in first place just a few weeks ago and still was looking at ways to improve depth and upgrade a couple key positions.

Four of its five summer window signees were on the field Saturday, including loanees Brenner, Dominik Marczuk and Ayoub Jabbari for the first time in 2025, and they have just five more games to get fully integrated for a playoff run. Ender Echenique has played six matches, and Samuel Gidi is expected to arrive after the international break.

The additions did not come without sacrifice, as three veterans were traded (DeAndre Yedlin to Real Salt Lake and Corey Baird to San Diego FC) or cut (Sergio Santos), but the moves were done with bigger goals in mind. So, what happens if FCC doesn’t win the trophy that Albright says can be expected? Could coach Pat Noonan’s job be in jeopardy or Albright’s even?

“There's pressure on all of us,” Albright said. “… Obviously, we're in it to win something, right? Pat is a ‘Coach of the Year’ for a reason, and he's an excellent coach, and he's the right guy to lead us now and in the future. But sure, we put the pressure on ourselves, it's not good enough right now. I mean, Pat said as much in his press conference the other night. We've set expectations high enough that this is not the level we should be performing at. We know that. We have a couple weeks now to address it and continue to sort of acclimate these players into the team.

“Look, unfortunately, the last couple seasons, for whatever reason, we've been missing key pieces as well. So, you can't not mention that we didn't play with Miles (Robinson) and Obi (Nwobodo) the other night. Those aren't excuses. That's just reality. Those are foundational pieces in what we do. Last year was Matt (Miazga injured). The year before, it was Matt (suspended) and Obi (injured in the playoffs). So, it's hard to overcome those things, and again, in a cap league where those guys make up an amount of the salary cap, or you're depending on them for X reason. But that being said, no, look, we put the pressure on ourselves and we welcome that.” 

This is the second straight year that results haven’t gone in FCC’s favor late in the season. Cincinnati is 5-4-1 in league play since Nwobodo’s last game on June 25, a win at Montreal.

A notable difference, though, is what was done this summer, compared to last, when attempts to address a dire need for proven goal scorers failed. The Orange and Blue in the 2024 summer window signed two new centerbacks to replace injured Miazga and Nick Hagglund, but they were scrambling at the end to add attackers amid cap constraints and ended up with Nico Gioacchini on loan from Italy. He finished with zero goal contributions.

Thus, the effort this past winter to add to the attack.

This summer was about adding specific qualities in key spots, and Albright said he was “pleasantly surprised” by how much the club was able to accomplish. Cincinnati acquired Echenique from Caracas FC in Venezuela as a right-footed wingback/forward to stretch the field with speed early in the window, then brought the 6-foot-6 Jabbari on loan from French Ligue 2 side Grenoble to add a younger, more mobile aerial threat and physical presence in the box.

FCC also acquired Gidi on a U-22 deal from Slovakian side MŠK Žilina in early Augist to provide depth and an intriguing ball progressor in the midfield. Then, on the last day of the window, FCC acquired Marczuk on loan in a trade with Real Salt Lake and Brenner on loan, returning to his former club from Udinese.

“I think going into the window, given the cap flexibility that we did not have, I probably expected more, like maybe two players in,” Albright said. “So, to be able to get five in was, I think, a surprise for all of us, a pleasant surprise. Obviously, some sacrifices when you do that in a salary cap league, but ultimately, the play on the field will determine what success is or isn't. Sheer numbers of players aren't a predictor of success. So we'll see how these players continue to integrate into the team.” 

Albright last summer said the windows in Europe remaining open longer than MLS created challenges for the club to sign players who instead wanted to wait and see if they could get a deal done abroad. FIFA responded to his and others’ concerns by extending the window later in the United States this year, to August 21, but as Noonan has pointed out multiple times now, that doesn’t leave much time for late additions to get acclimated.

Echenique was the only summer signee for FCC that actually arrived before the window closed. Jabbari and Gidi both faced long waits to acquire the necessary visas, and Marczuk and Brenner weren’t necessarily in the picture until the very end of the window.

“It's an imperfect system,” Albright said. “That's why we're talking about adjusting it and aligning with the European calendar so that we can, you know, imagine having all these additions and now we're heading into preseason, or we're heading into the first game of the year. Would make it a lot easier to kind of bring the guys together and hopefully form success early that would determine success during the year. That's just not the situation we're in now.

“And it's, I always say in MLS, the guys that come and go quickly are the people that sit and whine about, you know, why certain things are in place that are inefficient, and teams that have success try to deal within those constraints. And we try to live in the latter part of the world.”

Albright said the decisions to move Yedlin and Baird and waive Santos were not necessarily done to get younger, but generally, as pieces of the core move on, the hope is to replace them with players who can be “building blocks for years to come.”

FCC filled all three of the remaining U22 spots this summer, though Marczuk is only on loan.

Neither Baird nor Santos were playing consistent minutes this season, but Yedlin was the team’s starting right wingback and a leader in the locker room. Asked about the risk of moving a player that was contributing to a first-place standing at the time, Albright said it was a complicated situation.

“DeAndre meant a lot to this team, to the locker room, to myself,” Albright said. “There was a personal connection in which we recruited DeAndre with, that ultimately complicated how he left, you know, by promising him that if there was something better for him and his family, that he could entertain that. That's kind of how we got to where we were. And then, full disclosure, we all but matched what Salt Lake had to offer in the end. And DeAndre chose to go to Salt Lake. And so, in the end, we did all we could to keep him, but he's got a wonderful family and people he has to support. And in the end, he made a decision on what's best for him and those people. And I can't argue with that.”

Sources confirmed MLS Insider Tom Bogert’s reporting that Cincinnati had agreed to trade Yedlin about three weeks before he actually departed. According to Bogert on the “Soccerwise” podcast, FCC tried to back out of the deal when plans for a replacement fell through, and the league had to step in to finalize the trade.

Marczuk wasn’t a part of the original plan, but ended up being an intriguing option.

“He's another guy that we have been tracking, even pre-Salt Lake, that kind of scored well for us in our data, and so a player that we were familiar with,” Albright said. “Again, we ask a lot of our wingbacks, you know, with the ball, and so we knew that Dom had qualities, even though he's a young player, qualities with the ball, can get in spots that we feel are dangerous spots. He did early in the game (Saturday), and unfortunately, we didn't pull a play off. But he's got a great engine. He's a willing worker, he's a good soccer player, and a young player that we think can get better. And you know, yeah, like you said, the in-league loans are rare. But again, I think another sort of efficient way to manage the cap in a period like this, to try to get an additive piece and still maintain flexibility going forward.”

Asked if the moves to bring in younger players this year resets the proverbial championship window, Albright said he hopes that it is open his entire time in Cincinnati.

Brenner’s return, specifically, has been viewed by club officials as the bonus addition that could push the team over the top. Brenner was a part of a three-headed monster in the 2022 attack, which saw him and Brandon Vazquez finish with 18 goals and Acosta with 10 goals and 19 assists. Perhaps he can be the puzzle piece to unlock the 2025 attack, where Evander leads with 16 goals and Denkey adds 13.

“We kind of saw it as a really, really nice to have a great piece like that, but not necessarily a must-have at the time, but I think, certainly an exclamation point on the window and a player with incredible ability that hopefully gives a chance to realize some of our expectations,” Albright said.

The “elite difference makers” in the lineup are what give Albright the belief this team can win a trophy this year. FCC is 16-8-4 with 52 points at the international break, but tied for eighth in the Eastern Conference with 42 goals and tied for fifth with a seven-goal differential.

“I think we have elite difference makers where it matters most,” he said. “The margins of our game are about scoring goals. And we go into a lot of games, and I think if we were playing in the NBA, we'd probably win by 12. That's not how our sport works. Goals are so critical, and I think we have elite personnel in those areas. And so certainly, with Kevin, Evander, they've shown it, Brenner has shown it in the past, players that we brought in, I feel good about the group of players that we're adding, and that they're all going to fit in the right way. And then health's a big part of it. And so, you know, we anticipate Obi (Nwobodo) coming back and being a part of the playoffs. We anticipate Miles (Robinson) back shortly. Those are two gigantic pieces that help us play like we want to play and make the other guys better. And so we put all that together, and you know, we're going to give it our best run at it.”

Here are other topics Albright addressed (plus, more on Brenner coming later):

Q: How do you view Brenner, Evander and Kevin Denkey and how they mesh together in a way that makes sense for you guys? 

Albright: That's something that we're still going to evolve here and see over the next few weeks. They all know how to play the game at a high level. You know, I think the chance that Brenner would want back and misses in the game is a pretty nice combination between Evander and Kevin and Brenner. I think we saw some really elite patterns of play in training last week that, unfortunately, we didn't see as much in the game. Players of that quality tend to understand players that have similar qualities, and so I think that their soccer IQ should be what rises above and allows them to connect quickly. But that's also on us to design a game plan that enhances those, the qualities that those players have. So some of it's on them, and some of it's on us. 

Q: You've injected the team with a handful of young players and saw the team move on from some of the more senior players on the team. Are these moves kind of a change in philosophy going forward?

Albright: No, not really. I mean, I think you're always looking to kind of, you have your core, and then pieces of your core move on, and then you augment your core, and you're hoping when you do that, that you are getting younger, so that they those players can can be building blocks for years to come. I mean, Evander and Kevin are the best examples of that, right? You know, they're new pieces of the core, but they're also years younger than the players before them. And I think this window is another example of that, you know, try to get players that can come in and help win now, but that you can build around in the future, and that that's what we kind of looked at with this window. 

Q: Do you believe this resets that proverbial championship window?

Albright: I hope the championship window is here the whole time that we're here. I mean, that's my personal expectation. You know, we can reassess when we're standing here next year and seeing where we are, and maybe I'm not saying we're in a win-now mode, but those are the expectations that we have, is to be great every year, and those are the expectations that our ownership has and continue to have the commitment to support us to do so. So, you know, those players, a couple of them played two games, some of them aren't here still. So I'll be able to answer that question better the next time you guys grill me.

Q: Last time you did an interview with us, you were asked about some of the decisions with, a lot of contracts coming up this year. With Matt Miazga, specifically, coming back from an injury, is he performing to what you expected, and do you still see him with a future here? 

Albright: Yes, I do. Matt's a big part of this. He's our captain. He's a big part of this club. He's a big part of our success on the field, the success we've had over the last couple of years. Yeah, we see Matt as a part of this club, certainly, in the coming years.

Q. You made the decision not to put Obinna Nwobodo on the season-ending injury list. Did you feel at that point that you had a good enough idea on the timeline for his return? And what, if anything, can you share about that timeline? 

Albright: Well, you know, we're obviously going to our, Matt Busam, our doctor, orthopedic surgeon is excellent at what he does. And we got second opinion specific to Obi's injury and the surgery he had. And so we knew the timeline would be right there. And then you factor in the human that's going to be attacking that rehab, and then you feel real comfortable with the timeline. You know, Obi has been the best patient that you could imagine. I'm sure that surprises no one. And so we know that he's got the fight in him, to fight like hell, to be back to help us compete. And so that was kind of the decision making behind not placing him on season-ending injury.

Q: We've seen Dado Valenzuela come into his own as a top-three goal scorer for the club. Where do you see him fitting in with all these new additions that have come in and kind of play similar positions? 

Albright: As a key contributor, I think he came on the field the other night and showed his quality, set up a couple chances that it gave us the ability to tie the game, and it didn't come off. You know, I think where this league has evolved is you want to be able to look down your bench and see 7-8-9 starting quality options. And for so long, in MLS, that was never the case. You maybe had two, and then the other seven you're looking at as sort of perennial reserves. And so really, you know pushing, not Pat specifically, but coaches over the years to be accepting of that, having to manage a really good quality player as the 18th, 19th, 20th guy. And what do you think that's like at Chelsea right now, they might have four starting 11s. So I think it's a testament to where our league's grown that a guy like Dado, with his ability, has to fight for minutes because he wouldn't had to do that five years ago. So that's a testament, I think, to how we're building things and where the league's gone.

Q: We've seen some academy players graduate to first-team deals, but some of those guys, like Dado Valenzula, Stefan Chirila and Stiven Jimenez, aren't getting as many minutes. Could those guys end up going on loan elsewhere to be challenged more on a similar level to MLS than what they are getting in MLS NEXT Pro?

Albright: Yeah, I think we're maybe in the very early stages of having that abundance of talent at the academy and second-team level, to where that gets super complicated. We certainly have those players' development arcs in mind at all times. Stiven, we were looking very closely at a loan for him in Mexico, right before Leagues Cup came around and injuries came around, and then all of a sudden you find yourself on the field. That's what this job is, that's what this sport is. It's unpredictable. Timing plays a big part in where you wind up, so credit to Stiven, for example, he got on the field and really performed. So, he's really put himself back in the group that maybe he wasn't in before. If that didn't happen, maybe he's on loan in Mexico right now, and yeah, we're looking at ways for him to best continue to develop and develop for him as a player and develop for us as an asset and as a player. We have a team from myself, to Jeff Larentowicz, to Larry (Sunderland), that's constantly thinking of how we better these players and we're going to continue to try to do a better job of that. 

Q: Roman Celentano, I think he's at the U.S. Men's National Team camp right now, and that's a guy who's been a staple for this roster. What does it mean for him to get an opportunity so close to the World Cup to go and represent himself in the club at the national team level and secondly, consistently having him or Miles or other guys representing FCC at the national team level?

Albright: Yeah, well, that's something that the second part, really educating Carl and ownership on, especially early on, that sometimes especially with our league playing through FIFA windows, while it's hard to lose players and not have them performing for you on the field, they're representing our club, our city, them as owners on the global stage. And that's really cool and well deserved for those guys, it's a testament to Roman's work ethic, shows up every day, works his ass off, along with Paul, pushes Roman in the right way. He's continued to improve. And I think there's no bigger recognition than being called in for your national team. We're really proud of him.

FC Cincinnati dropped a 1-0 loss to Philalephia Union on Saturday for the team's third straight defeat at home by that score.

We discuss the match, assess the state of the team with five matches left and share first impressions on the newcomers that played. Plus, hear interviews with Matt Miazga and Evander and responses to a couple mailbag questions.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati dropped a 1-0 loss to New York City FC on Saturday, and the vibes looked off from the start.

No one wanted to blame an emotional week leading up to it with two veteran departures and new additions that will potentially be taking minutes from other guys on the squad, but it's reasonable to believe that might have played some factor.

We wrap up the summer transfer window, which saw five new players added and three departures total, and discuss how it might have impacted the game against NYCFC. Plus, hear interviews with Pat Noonan, Nick Hagglund and Roman Celentano and answers to a few mailbag questions.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati has been busy the last 24 hours as the summer transfer deadline approaches at 1 a.m. Friday.

There likely will be more news to share later or to wake up to (a news tip on the pursuit of Real Salt Lake winger Dominik Marczuk came in as we were finishing this recording), but we went on and put together a brief bonus episode to discuss the latest with DeAndre Yedlin getting traded to RSL and an agreement in place to re-acquire Brenner Souza da Silva, who was with FCC from 2021 through May of 2023 when he was sold to Udinese.

The paperwork was still being finalized for Brenner's loan as of this recording, but FCC announced Yedlin's trade Thursday morning. We discuss the significance of these moves and what it might look like going forward.

It does look like another player could be headed out, so stay tuned for more articles coming to your inbox, but we will recap the transfer window along with our normal post-match discussion Sunday or Monday.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati got back on track following a three-game winless streak with a 3-2 victory at Portland. Evander had a hand in all three goals, including an assist and the game-winner, in his return to his former club of two seasons, and the team backed him up with the help of goals from Kevin Denkey and Pavel Bucha.

In this episode, we recap the game, the significance of getting back on track, Denkey’s return from injury and more. Hear interviews with Evander and Pat Noonan, plus a couple mailbag questions.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati had its 10th anniversary game spoiled by Charlotte FC after a controversial red card, but the fans that stayed for the alumni friendly left happy.

In this episode, we discuss the milestone for the club, break down the 1-0 loss to Charlotte, what happened on the red card decision and how Leagues Cup ended for FCC last week. We also talk about the latest news in the summer transfer window, and I’ll also share some interesting comments from Matt Miazga, our conversation with MLS Commissioner Don Garber and a chat with Kendall Waston, who was one of the former players that returned for the festivities Sunday.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati wasn't worried about sending two players to the All-Star events last week then playing a big game over the weekend.

Evander and Miles Robinson represented Cincinnati well at the event Wednesday in Austin, then played a full 90 minutes to help the Orange and Blue secure a point in a scoreless draw at Miami on Saturday. Inter Miami CF elected not to send Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba to the All-Star festivities, and duo was punished by the league with a one-game suspension causing them to miss Saturday's match against FCC.

In this episode, we talk about the result, Robinson's game-winner being negated by a supposed foul and the controversy leading into the match. Plus, what to expect going into Leagues Cup and more.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family and Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7). Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati bounced back from a disappointing loss to Columbus with a pair of wins last week, most notably beating Inter Miami CF in dominant fashion, 3-0, Wednesday before going on the road with a rotated lineup to beat Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

We discuss the results, the All-Star festivities this week, the opening of the transfer window and more. Plus, hear interviews with Brian Anunga and Dado Valenzuela, and we wrap up with some mailbag questions as usual.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and The Crenshaw Family. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

Eric took a break this week, so Laurel flies solo in the frame of the episode breaking down FC Cincinnati's heartbreaking 4-2 loss to Columbus in the "Hell is Real" derby. But she is joined by special guest Mike Lahoud, the former FC Cincinnati midfielder (2018 season) who now serves as an analyst for CBS Sports Golazo Network.

Lahoud discusses his thoughts on the club's sustained success the past few years, his thoughts on "Hell is Real," what to expect Wednesday when Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF come to TQL Stadium, whether Evander really has a shot at MVP and more. You can hear him weekdays on "Morning Footy" from 8-10 a.m. on CBS Sports Golazo!

In this episode, you'll also hear interviews with Miles Robinson, Lukas Engel and Pat Noonan after the loss Saturday, as well as a large portion of the media scrum Tuesday with general manager Chris Albright.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Manu Ledesma Academy (@LedesmaAcademy), Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and The Crenshaw Family. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati is halfway through preseason and preparing for its last two exhibitions before the Concacaf Champions Cup opener Feb. 18 in the Dominican Republic.

While Cincinnati continues to deal with cold and snow, the Orange and Blue are enjoying warmer weather in Clearwater, Fla. We discuss what we've learned from the first two closed-door matches, then dip into some season preview content breaking down the roster position-by-position.

Editor's Note: Since we recorded, we learned Bryan Ramirez received his work visa and is now officially full go.

In this episode, we also share some news about the addition of another podcast coming soon, and Laurel answers a mailbag question that didn't make it into the written one last week.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? The easiest way is to log into Patreon on your phone or through the app, open the “article” for the latest episode and click the “Listen in App” button on the top right side of the page. That will direct you from there. Otherwise, you can just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple/Spotify/etc. Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. You can also search on Spotify and that just requires syncing with Patreon. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Bucklew Insurance (@bucklewinsurance), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family, Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7) and Tom Niehaus. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati extended its winning streak to four games, beating Chicago Fire FC 2-1 on Saturday at TQL Stadium, and Evander continued his scoring spree in impressive fashion. He's proving he's MVP-worthy after an interesting start with the Orange and Blue.

We discuss the match, Evander's evolution into a needed playmaker for FCC and catch up on news from the past week while Laurel was on vacation from the podcast. We cover MLSPA salary data, two new signings, All-Star selections and more. Plus, hear clips of interviews with Pat Noonan and Roman Celentano and a mailbag segment.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and The Crenshaw Family. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati didn't have a game this past week, so I used the mini-bye to bring back a familiar name for followers of the club.

For the first time (long overdue), Cincinnati Enquirer sports writer Pat Brennan joins Queen City Press Podcast to discuss his memories on the FCC beat, which he covered up until this year when he switched to covering the Reds and Bengals. We had been competitors on the FCC beat since the club's first season in 2016, but became friends over time and now seemed a good opportunity to bring him onto the show.

That segment takes up most of the episode, but you'll also hear an interview with Kei Kamara on his recent broadcast experience with Club World Cup commentary and his first start with FCC in the last match June 14 against New England.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and The Crenshaw Family. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati returned from a break to beat the New England Revolution 1-0 on Saturday and remain in second in the Eastern Conference.

Kevin Denkey scored his 11th goal in MLS play, off a great assist from LUca Orellano and then celebrated by kneeling down in front of Orellano and kissing his boot. After the 26th minute goal, FCC relied on the defense to hold on and collected its sixth clean sheet of the season.

In this episode we discuss the match, Matt Miazga's first full game, Orellano's performance at left wingback and more. Plus, a special mailbag segment in which Laurel shares her MLS All-Star ballot submitted as part of the media voting.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and The Crenshaw Family. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati was off this past week, but it's a good time for a thorough evaluation of the team at the season's halfway point.

We discuss the individual performances, best/worst games and expectations for the second half of the season. Plus, a mailbag segment touching on the summer transfer window and more.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and The Crenshaw Family. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati dropped points against FC Dallas and D.C. United at home this week, settling for a 3-3 draw against Luciano Acosta's new team on Wednesday and suffering a 2-1 loss to the Black-and-Red on Saturday.

In this extra long episode, we discuss the results, concerns over the current form of the team, Matt Miazga’s latest injury and Lucho Acosta’s return to TQL Stadium and more. We also give listeners a peek behind the curtain on Acosta's exit in the last portion of the episode before the mailbag.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and The Crenshaw Family. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati lost Nick Hagglund for the foreseeable future due to a pair of cracked ribs and a collapsed lung resulting from a hit early in a 4-2 loss at Atlanta United FC.

We discuss the injury, the impact on the game and why FC Cincinnati can't seem to put together a complete performance, as well as news of Miles Robinson's call-up to the U.S. national team and Cruz Azul's renewed interest in Luca Orellano. We also discuss Lucho Acosta's scheduled return to TQL Stadium on Wednesday with FC Dallas and wrap up with a couple mailbag questions.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati rotated lineups for a midweek match at Toronto FC and snuck away with a 1-0 win before squeaking out a 1-1 draw at Columbus Crew on Saturday in the "Hell is Real" derby.

We discuss both games, with emphasis on the rivalry match, as well as Obinna Nwobodo's contract extension, which you will hear him discuss in a portion of our interview with him Thursday. You'll also hear portions of locker room interviews with Evander, Kevin Denkey and Matt Miazga after "Hell is Real" and a clip of coach Pat Noonan sounding off on the league hyping rivalries but deflating the energy with midweek games prior.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati collected a 2-1 win over Austin FC on Saturday with goals from Evander and Dado Valenzuela. Valenzuela's goal was the winner after former FCC forward Brandon Vazquez equalized from the penalty spot.

In this episode, we discuss the game, including Vazquez's return with Austin, the improvement of the attack and Matt Miazga's injury, as well as the pending signing of MLS legend Kei Kamara and a brief look at a busy week capped by "Hell is Real." You'll hear clips of interviews with Evander, Valenzuela and Vazquez.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati saw a five-game winning streak snapped with a 1-0 loss at New York City FC on Sunday.

In this episode, we break down the match, the latest injuries and briefly discuss Brandon Vazquez's scheduled return with Austin FC to face his old club Saturday. Plus, hear some clips from interviews with coach Pat Noonan, and we wrap up with some mailbag questions.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for sponsoring the show! Check out Double Chance Pod for the latest MLS betting information and tips.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati bicycled its way to a 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, as Kevin Denkey put on a show with a brace (scoring twice) to bring him to six goals for the MLS season.

We discuss the match, Denkey's goals, including a spectacular bicycle kick goal that might be the best in club history, and the team's momentum on a five-game winning streak.

Plus, hear interviews with Denkey, Roman Celentano and Pat Noonan. We wrap up with a brief discussion on the transfer window closing and some mailbag questions.

Special thanks to Hoist and Double Chance podcast for sponsoring this show. You can listen to Double Chance for MLS betting tips and information.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati opened preseason training last week in Milford and headed to Clearwater, Fla., for the remainder Monday. We discuss how the first week went, based on Laurel's observations at training and from interviews with Chris Albright and Pat Noonan, as well as some players.

In this episode, you will also hear clips of the interviews with Noonan and newcomer Tom Barlow and answers to a couple mailbag questions.

Special thanks to Hoist for sponsoring the show!

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? The easiest way is to log into Patreon on your phone or through the app, open the “article” for the latest episode and click the “Listen in App” button on the top right side of the page. That will direct you from there. Otherwise, you can just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple/Spotify/etc. Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. You can also search on Spotify and that just requires syncing with Patreon. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Bucklew Insurance (@bucklewinsurance), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller, The Crenshaw Family, Michael Crawford (@mccrawf7) and Tom Niehaus. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati took advantage of a couple mistakes by Chicago Fire FC to collect a 3-2 win on the road Saturday with Evander scoring a brace and Kevin Denkey burying a nice goal off Sergio Santos' second assist of the game.

We break down the game in this episode, plus sprinkle in some interview clips with coach Pat Noonan, Matt Miazga and Evander. We also discuss Aaron Boupendza's impact on the club after his tragic passing in China last week and answer a couple of mailbag questions.

Queen City Press Podcast thanks sponsors Hoist and Double Chance Podcast for helping bring you this episode. Check out Double Chance for MLS betting tips and information.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati collected another clean sheet and Dado Valenzuela's first goal of the season was the difference in a 1-0 win at D.C. United on Saturday.

Valenzuela surprised in his first start, but the defense had a tall task, literally, in shutting down Christian Benteke and Nick Hagglund was up for it.

In this episode, featuring new sponsor Double Chance Podcast, we break down the match and take a look at some of the depth pieces that have either helped or hurt their stock during a stretch where several starters have been out.

You'll also get bonus content from Laurel's interviews with Kevin Denkey for a longform feature she published Friday. And, hear Pat Noonan's assessment of Luca Orellano's start to the season and what he thought of his rabona attempt the previous match against New England in light of early struggles.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati beat the New England Revolution on Saturday, but Laurel was stuck outside in the cold rain for her son's soccer tournament and missed the action at TQL Stadium. Fortunately, former colleague Patrick Martin was able to fill in on live coverage, and he joined the podcast this week to help break down the game.

In this episode, Patrick talks about his biggest takeaways, the standout performances and what it means going forward. Laurel and Eric also discuss the injuries plaguing the team and answer a couple mailbag questions. Plus, hear Pat Noonan's thoughts on the trend of hamstring injuries and an interview with newcomer Brad Smith, ahead of his debut Saturday.

Special thanks to Hoist and new presenting sponsor Double Chance, a soccer betting podcast focused on Major League Soccer. We appreciate the added support so check out Double Chance for all your betting tips and information ahead of this week's matches.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Double Chance Podcast (@DoubleChancePod), Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati went on the road and collected a 2-1 comeback win over Nashville SC on Saturday, pulling ahead in stoppage time on Kevin Denkey's penalty kick.

In this episode, we'll discuss the match, highlighted by a free kick goal from Evander and seven-save performance from Roman Celentano, as well as the recent hamstring concerns, seemingly minor trade news that could be significant, and a clarification on Miles Robinson, who took some heat last week for not playing sick against Atlanta United.

Hear clips of Pat Noonan's defense of Robinson and some of his post-game thoughts Saturday night. We wrap up with a couple mailbag questions.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati collected a point against Atlanta United but was disappointed in another missed opportunity after taking a lead late and losing it on an own goal for a 2-2 draw.

In this episode, Laurel and Eric discuss the match, the many missing pieces, why the team is struggling to get better results and what's next? We'll dive into Pat Noonan’s reaction, hear full interviews with Nick Hagglund and Evander and wrap up with a couple of mailbag questions.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati ended its Champions Cup run in the Round of 16 last week with a 3-1 loss at Tigres and couldn't bounce back in a 2-0 loss at Charlotte FC on Saturday after another quick turnaround.

Now the Orange and Blue have a full week to recover and prepare for the next match at home against Atlanta United, but there are serious concerns at centerback with all five top options up in the air because of past or current injuries (Miles Robinson, Matt Miazga and Nick Hagglund), red card suspension (Gilberto Flores) and other planned absences (Teenage Hadebe - green card appointment in Zimbabwe).

In this episode, we discuss the two losses from this past week, the state of the team after eight games in 25 days and what to expect going forward. Plus, hear coach Pat Noonan's thoughts on the loss at Charlotte and the end of Champions Cup competition, and we wrap up with a couple mailbag questions.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati was looking for a response following a disappointing loss at Philadelphia last weekend and saw much better performances the next two matches, but the Orange and Blue still haven't shown what they might be capable of yet.

They took an early lead against Tigres in a Champions Cup Round of 16 match Tuesday and settled for a 1-1 draw, then needed a 73rd-minute penalty kick to break through for a 2-0 win against Toronto FC on Saturday.

In this episode, we talk about both results and why there is optimism amid rotated lineups and even a formation change Saturday to help keep legs fresh for Tuesday's big game at Tigres. FCC must win or draw with at least two goals to advance to the CCC quarterfinals.

Plus, hear clips of interviews with Corey Baird and Miles Robinson from postgame locker room media availability, and Laurel answers a couple mailbag questions submitted on social media.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; BISON USA CORP, Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati found immediate success in its first week of action despite several newcomers in the lineup and concerns of what it would look like after a challenging preseason.

The Orange and Blue collected a 4-1 win at FC Motagua on Wednesday in Champions Cup play in Honduras, then battled New York Red Bulls for a 1-0 win in the MLS opener Saturday at TQL Stadium. Among those making club debuts were forward Kevin Denkey, who scored in both games, midfielder Evander Ferreira, centerback Gilberto Flores and left wingback Lukas Engel.

In this episode, we discuss the first games and the importance of seeing results right away, plus news of the week with Luca Orellano extending his contract, an update on Matt Miazga and surprising discussions with Brenner.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

FC Cincinnati will go into the 2025 season with a new-look attack -- one that won't include Luciano Acosta for the first time after four years that included a Supporters' Shield and the club's first three playoff appearances.

Evander takes over as the team's new No. 10 and will be linking up with DP forward Kevin Denkey and rising young star Luca Orellano -- if FCC can keep him invested in the project amid a contract dispute.

We discuss the rebuilt attack and break down the roster position-by-position for this "season preview" episode, as FCC sets to play its first match Wednesday in Concacaf Champions Cup play against FC Motagua in Honduras and the league opener Saturday at home against New York Red Bulls.

Plus, we wrap up with a couple of mailbag questions that I addressed in the written version but found newsy enough to include in this episode as well.

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family and Tim Miller. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.

With breaking news that FC Cincinnati is finalizing a trade to send Luciano Acosta to FC Dallas for a guaranteed $5 million, we decided to do a brief bonus, "emergency podcast" episode.

We discuss the move, why it came to an in-league trade and more as the saga with FCC's best player officially is coming to an end. 

Be sure to find Queen City Press Podcast now on Spotify through your Patreon subscription and give us a rating so others can more easily stumble upon this unique FC Cincinnati podcast. You can easily link your Spotify and Patreon accounts if you are using the same email address for both apps.

Also, for those who use Apple Podcast app (or other podcast apps), did you know you can make it so episodes automatically load into your library? Just click the membership tab on your Patreon account, copy the RSS link that should show up on that page. Then, go into your Apple Podcast library, click the three dots in the upper right corner and you’ll see where to paste that link. This podcast will then automatically appear in your library feed as soon as it is uploaded. Patreon does not currently sync with Spotify, but there are other apps that will have this option as well. Reach out with questions!

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

Special thanks to Queen City Press sponsors:

Hoist (@DrinkHoist), 333seat.com; Agustin Caceres (@caceresagustin), Rhinehaus (@RhinehausOTR), The Richards Firm, The Cincinnati Lions (@AVFC_Cincinnati), Mark Godsey, The Hart Family, Adam Weigand, The Stumpf Family, Roger Hayner, Mike Hudson, Duke Thomas (#UpTheGarys), Matt (@FCCincinnatus), Bryan Weigel, Nick Armstrong, David McDaniel, the Rexroad Family, Tim Miller and Jeremy Kelley. Join the sponsorship tier (check your membership settings) to have your name, organization or business recognized as well.