Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Total Soccer Show. I'm your host Taylor Rockwell. Daryl

Grove is not with me. He is instead in Boston. He will be back with me in Germany later on this week. Speaking of Germany, that's what today's show is going to be about. I am talking to Matt Herman of the Talking Fusball podcast. He makes his return. He helped us preview the Buddhist League of season back in August, I believe. He is now back with us nine weeks in to give an update on how things have gone so far, looking at the top of the table, how Brousie and Muggen-Gladbach have managed to take that top spot, but then also the issues currently faced by Byron Munich and Brousia Dortmund. That's a lengthy conversation. We update Americans abroad and who's doing well, including Weston McKinney at Chalka, Tyler Adams, at R.B. Leipzig, and John Brooks at Wolfsburg. And then we talk a little bit about Daryl and I's trip and some of the teams we're going to be seeing and why those games are going to be of interest to you and also for us, of course. Lots of great content in there. Matt is always wonderful. He brings the knowledge. He corrects my

knowledge, or lack thereof, when the situation requires. That happens a couple times. And that's

why I like having that on, because experts know things and help me feel better about not knowing

things because then I do know those things. I think all that made sense. But given that we've reached

the point where I ramble in the introduction, I will stop with that and instead say, with me now. Once again, returning to the Total Soccer Show is Mr. Matt Herman of the Talking Fusball podcast. Matt, thank you very much for taking the time once again. I love how my Mr. has been appended not only to my Twitter name, but to my name on the show. Of course. It sort of happened. Yes. We're all about formality here. We want to make sure you get your proper title and proper respect. All right. Full wins or nots all around. Perfect. You know the style. In fact, I have my tie on. I'm wearing a t-shirt, but with a tie on just because that's how formal you and I

tend to be. Also. I'm sure you've been watching Great British Bake Off then because that's great from their playbook this past week. Yeah, right. Like, why would you still go tie when it's like 105 degrees outside? That one seems a bit much for me. At least, at least loosen the necktie a little bit. I know. I know. He had to be eliminated for that reason alone. There we go. Spoiler alert for Great British

Baking Show. We do apologize, but not really because you should be caught up on that because why aren't you caught up on that. But we are not here to talk British baking. We could probably do that. And I would love to hear your, like, analysis of all the bakers and what they're doing. I feel like you'd be good at that. But instead, we're going to talk Bundesliga. We've got a lot to catch up on nine games in.

Through those first nine games, doing. I feel like you'd be good at that. But instead, we're going to talk Bundesliga. We've got a

lot to catch up on nine games in. Through those first nine games, Matt, which teams have

impressed you in the best possible way and which teams have maybe stood out in the worst possible

way? Oh, I mean, I figured we really don't have to look any farther than, than,

Barosia mentioned Gladbach in terms of who's impressed me the most.

I mean,

I'm really surprised that they're top of the league.

And, you know,

when I look at like my sort of preseason predictions,

I really didn't know which way things were going to go.

They have a new coach, of course.

They have sort of a new style.

It was pretty unclear whether that was going to take right away. And, you know, it didn't take long at all. They're playing really well. They pretty much deserve to be top right now because there's been a lot of inconsistency at just about every other club. And, yeah, they're the best in the league at the moment. And how have they managed to start so strongly and managed to keep it going?

And while we're on the subject, can you also say their manager's name? Because I feel like I will mispronounce it if I do so. Oh, yeah. It's real simple. It's just Marco Rosa. Rosa. Okay, cool. Not Rose. Not Marco Rose. Rosa. Yeah, you know, every single syllable must be pronounced in German.

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