Rabona Boys

There is an exciting 3-way battle for the Bundesliga title, and it's already March! Borussia Dortmund and Union Berlin are stuck in a vicious fight with Bayern for the hardest-fought Bundesliga in the last few decades. Our hosts give their thoughts on Seattle Sounders' high-level draw with LAFC. The Sounders were impressive, but couldn't finish against a potent LAFC side. Where can the Sounders improve to continue their early momentum?

We asked and you answered. This week's episode discusses both some Europe talk but also the beginning of the 2023 MLS season and how our Seattle Sounders are doing after 3 weeks! After a strong start and bumpy first away game, what do we make of the Seattle Sounders upcoming league campaign?

Manchester United went to Anfield and held 7 goals against. SEVEN GOALS. That's a touchdown. The Red Devils suffered their worst defeat in 90 years at the home of their worst enemy, Manchester United fans are humbled, and the rest of the league is spared from the Return of Manchester United. Join in as our hosts discuss the most incredible result in recent PL history, one that will be sang about for decades to come.

In today's episode, our hosts discuss the potential sale and takeover of Manchester United. Pursued by none other than Qatar, owners of PSG, their group has submitted an official bid. Vyn Skully an Nik Solo discuss the bid, the potential ramifications, and the increased commodization of Football in general. Our hosts have a passionate conversation bout the role a football club plays in its local environment, and the merits of letting a club grow naturally.

Welcome back to the Rabona Boys Podcast! In today's episode, our hosts review the most important PL game of the year, the first matchup between Arsenal and Manchester City. Arsenal have been crushing the league for most of the season, but were looking to bounce back from a 4 game rut in the run up to the City game. Despite dominating possesion (+60%), City surprised Arsenal and made the most of their limited chances. Join in as our resident Arsenal fan, Nik Solo, reacts to his team's performance and goes through all 5 stages of grief in 20 minutes!

In continuation from last weeks' episode, the Rabona Boys continue to address the effect billionaires are having on the game. Manchester City have been hit with over 100 charges from the Premier League for financial violations ranging between 2008 and 2017, compiled over a four-year period. If you're a fan of Rap or the American Mafia, then you'll recognize this style of prosecution, and that City are about to get hit with the Prem's version of the R.I.C.O. Our hosts recognize that the timing of this indictment is more than a little odd, but its importance cannot be understated. Our beloved sport has already become the plaything of plutocrats and nation-states, but this may be the last chance that 'pure' football may have to protect itself from the relentless, all-consuming, inevitable machine that is billionaire wealth.

The Rabona Boys are back with a bangerof an episode! Vyn Skully and Nik Solo kick off with Joao Cancelo vs. Pep Guardiola and the impact of ego in a Pep team. Chelsea and Todd Boehly are buying everything in sight and keep resetting the market so player prices become inaccessible to regular clubs. Our hosts then get into an intense discussion about Brighton, Moises Caicedo, and small teams getting picked apart whenever they build a good team without a lot of money. Finally, the guys discuss Jorginho to Arsenal and how uncomfortable it is for Arsenal to buy yet another Chelsea player thrown to the scrap pile. Come join in as the Rabona Boys spit straight facts into the abyss of modern football.

The Rabona Boys are back with another episode! Arsenal beat Manchester United in a match that could have come from 2004 and Nik Solo, our resident Gooner, is on Cloud Nine. Nik celebrates his team's amazing form and our hosts discuss the result of a three-year rebuild of Arsenal by Mikel Arteta. Nketiah, Odegaard, Rashford & Saka all get their flowers from this thrilling match, and Vyn Skully finally realizes what Zinchenko brings to the team. The Rabona Boys finally discuss the 'Plusvalenza' scandal currently rocking Italian football, and as ever, the infinitely shady Juventus is in the middle of it all. It's probably no big deal, it's not like Juventus has ever been demoted from Serie A for shady practices before, right? ..Right?

The Rabona Boys are back with another one! Vyn Skully & Nik Solo start out the episode giving due reverence to Pele, the Original GOAT, the King of Football. our hosts then turn their attention to a wild weekend of football that had a string of wild results. Liverpool lost 0-3 to Brighton Munich, Arsenal are still top of the league, and Barcelona crush Real Madrid in the best game of the weekend and the best Clasico in a long time. In our hosts' opinion, football seems to be getting it's shine back. Some of these games are starting to feel like an actual event, and we may even be seeing a slow return of the number 10. All that and more in Episode 52!

Welcome to the start of Season 3 of the Rabona Boys podcast. Your hosts have been feeling out the podcast space for the last two years so it's only natural that they evolve in their third year in the game. Vyn Skully and Nik Solo enter the new year with their clubs in the exact same position (and situations) as before the World Cup. Liverpool bought their 16th attacker in Cody Gakpo but Arsenal have retained their dominant form even without Gabriel Jesus. Join in as Nik & Vyn start the new year with a bang

The debate is over. Put away your CR7's, your Zidane's, your Ronaldo's & Ronaldinho's. Lionel Messi and Argentina have won the World Cup after one of the greatest football games in history. He now stands with Pele and Maradona in contention for the outright greatest player in history. Join in as Nik Solo and Vyn Skully recap the greatest game from one of the best tournaments our hosts have ever seen.

The boys spend the morning watching a disappointing performance from team USA as they are finally eliminated by the Dutch in the round of 16. Tune in as Nik Solo and Vyn Skully make their predictions on how the round of 16 will play out and debrief the big stories of the group stage. It's about to get exciting people!

The Group stages of the World Cup have been entertaining and full of upsets! Brazil & France have started to flex their muscles in the group stage, but Argentina, Germany & Belgium have all dropped games and it's looking like a few traditional powers might not make it out of their groups! Meanwhile, the USA went toe-to-toe with England and looked the much better team. If the USA had a striker, they'd be top of their group right now. (Maybe if Gio Reyna played more than 5 minutes...) Upsets, tactical battles, and champagne football galore, the World Cup feels like it's finally here!

It's World Cup time! The Rabona Boys are back with a quick recap of the first two days of the World Cup. Hosts Qatar looks like they will be thoroughly outmatched despite their years-long plan to make their national team look competitive. England demolished Iran in a show of force that will certainly send a message to the rest of the tourney. Elsewhere, the USA let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers and fumbled a hard-fought win in the 82nd minute to allow Wales a painful equalizer. This episode drops the same day as England vs USA so of course our hosts Vyn Skully & Nik Solo had to give their predicitons. There have been some incredible results and controversial decisions in this tourney already, and the Rabona Boys have caught World Cup Fever!

The Rabona Boys are back with our last non-World Cup episode! Cristiano Ronaldo has dropped a bombshell interview criticizing Manchester United from top to bottom. Arsenal enter the World Cup break at the top of the league, and someone beat Manchester City! Our hosts were unable to help themselves and ended the episode by discussing Brazil & the USMNT at the World Cup.

The Rabona Boys are back with a vengeance! Arsenal continue their run at the top of the table by defeating hated rivals Chelsea at The Bridge, possibly cementing their status as a true contender for the Premier League title. Over in Merseyside, our hosts speak on the positives they have seen from Liverpool's play and debate the rise of Darwin Nunez. Vyn Skully addresses the shocking news that Liverpool's owners have put the club up for sale and keeps it real with who the next owners will likely be.

In this week's episode, the Rabona Boys focus on Italy! Our hosts marvel over Brahim Diaz and the rest of the gems over at AC Milan. Conversation turns to Serie A in general, how much younger the league has gotten, and how wide open its title races are since the fall of Juventus. The Rabona Boys put their eyes on Bin Saud - uh, I mean, Newcastle FC, and discuss their exponential rise. The fact that Eddie Howe has Newcastle players fighting tooth and nail and has led his team to a current 4th place standing can only mean positive things for the Geordie club once they splash their newfound Saudi cash. The boys think Howe has shown a lot of humility and dedication on his journey to Newcastle, and discuss what lessons Steven Gerrard can learn from his journey.

The Rabona Boys are back again to talk about that hotly contested Liverpool-Manchester City derby last weekend and its surprising result. Nik Solo & Vyn Skully review El Clasico and talk about the emergence of Fede Valverde in a team full of superstars. FInally, our hosts react to the Seattle Sounders mising the playoffs for the first time in their MLS history and give an end-of-season review to their hometown team.

If at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again.  In a masterclass of tactical adjustment, attack patterns and end-to-end football, Mikel Arteta's energetic Arsenal faced Liverpool with the confidence of youth, proceeded to outmatch their opponents in an incredible match and validated their slow but steady rise in status over the last few years. Nik Solo has been waiting for this moment for a while, and in this episode of the Rabona Boys podcast, he takes full advantage of the spotlight and breaks down how Arsenal were finally able to defeat their biggest bogey team. Our hosts give their honest opinions on the controversial moments within the match, and Vyn Skully is forced to realize the dawn of a new age.

The Rabona boys are back for a two episode week! After waiting an eternity for the international break to finish, our hosts come together to discuss something they've never seen before: a player with a hat-trick of hat-tricks. Erling Haaland has come to the Premier League like the Terminator came to Earth in 1984, scoring 14 goals in 8 matches. Our hosts can only see him improving from here on out. Speaking of dominance, Arsenal are still Top of the League and seem to moving from strength to strength. Nik Solo is all smiles these days as Arteta's tactics and man management have transformed Arsenal into the most attacking team this side of the Thames (or whatever landmark separates them and Man City). Join our hosts Nik Solo and Vyn Skully as they navigate the Premier League landscape!

Episode 40 of the Rabona Boys and the our hosts are back to discuss the latest and greatest around Europe! Arsenal continue their league campaign as top of the table in the premier league as Liverpool begin to show signs of life in the champions league. Barca have done something extraordinary with Kounde and Graham Potter got his first haircut from the mandem.

The Rabona Boys are back and waste no time talking about Man United bringing down the high-flying Arsenal with a 3-1 win at Old Trafford. Conversation then turns to Chelsea's surprising decision to sack Thomas Tuchel. Chelsea don't seem to have changed much under new ownership, but our hosts discuss possible replacements and grimly foreshadow Chelsea's next manager appointment. Vyn Skully and Nik Solo turn their attention to the Champion's League and Liverpool's demolition at the hands of Napoli, as well as the barnstormer between PSG & Juventus, and end the episode with official Premier League predictions.

The Rabona Boys are back and Liverpool are already in trouble! A stunning 2-1 loss to Manchester United has put the Scousers' weaknesses on full display. Vyn Skully and Nik Solo analyze where it all went wrong for Liverpool, and what the implications of a thin, injury-prone squad missing Sadio Mane and useful central midfielders might mean for the Reds during a season even more packed than the last. (A 9-0 win vs. Bournemouth is impressive, but then again, it's Bournemouth.) Then, our hosts discuss the Seattle Sounders, who are in a rut of horrible form and seem to be digging themselves deeper. Will the Rave Green be able to make it into the playoffs? What personnel or tactical changes need to be made for the Sounders to extend their playoff streak? Let's talk about it.

The Rabona Boys are back with another one! On this episode, Nik Solo & Vyn Skully touch on Arsenal's exciting turnaround this season, discussing their style, energy, and how well their new players have gelled with the squad. Then the boys discuss Manchester United's signing of Casemiro, what it means for the club, and if this marks a turnaround for the Red Devils. (This segment may or may not contain steaming hot takes that aged like milk. Or bananas. Or avocados.) Paris Saint-Germain's ruthlessness under their new coach prompts a conversation on if PSG have reached their final form in their chase for the Champion's League. Our hosts then discuss Bayern Munich, how they seem even more dangerous with their new forward, and their subsequent change in playstyle and speed that marks them out as the ones to watch in this season's UCL.

The Rabona Boys are back with a recap of the first few weeks of European football! Join in as our hosts review the results from the Prem and Bayernliga. Vyn Skully and NIk Solo then explore the issues with Manchester United and where to even start addressing their problems. Arsenal get a special spotlight as well since they've carried over their preseason form and are the early frontrunners (!) for the league.

The new European season is upon us! The Rabona Boys start this episode by correcting themselves, as Chelsea got stuffed in a locker by Barcelona, who walked away with Chelsea's last transfer target Jules Kounde. Our hosts wrap up transfer season with a quick recap of the Community Shield and their opinions on the debuts of Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez. Our hosts then give some time to the Seattle Sounders by breaking down what keeps going wrong during the Sounders' summer slump and give some controversial opinions on what Seattle's best foot forward would be.

Another transfer episode! The transfer rumors refuse to die down and Rabona Boys are here to provide an update on what's been going on. Barcelona are about to pull off their 2nd straight transfer hijack on Chelsea, and it leads our hosts to discuss the enmity between Chelsea and Barcelona, and the draw that Barca has on players in top teams in the Prem. Repeat the line after us: "Preseason games don't mean anything." Nonetheless, it's hard for NikSolo not to be confident after the hiding Arsenal gave Chelsea (and Sevilla, did you see that?!) The Prem looks as though it's going to be a vicious fight from day one this season, and our hosts give their 'Way Too Quick and Only Based On Summer Transfers Premier League Predictions' (TM) which are to be taken 100% seriously

The Rabona Boys are back again to talk about transfers! It's the height of the summer Mercado and everyone but Liverpool has been making big boy moves. Arsenal bought a striker, Tottenham bought an entire squad, Chelsea keeps trying to steal everyone else's transfers and Barca keeps stealing Chelsea's transfers. Barcelona is like that friend who always has w**d for the occasion but never any money to pay you back what they owe. Juve are going through a strange evolution and Bayern has decided Ajax is their new development academy. Join in as our hosts break down the best moves so far!

The Rabona Boys are back for their first transfer season episode of 2022! Your hosts kick off the episode with Vyn Skully giving one final tribute to Sadio Mane and then Nik Solo kicks off the silly season rumors. Nik comes in hot with Arsenal's signing whom no one knows anything about, and Vyn Skully tries to convince us (and himself) that Liverpool are going to make an exciting signing to bolster the midfield. Anyone know what Jude Bellingham's up to these days?

Did you enjoy Liverpool losing the Champion's League Final more than Real Madrid winning it? Does the word 'quadruple' sound like nails on a chalkboard to you? Is the schadenfreude of them losing the league by a point only just now leaving your system? Then come tune in with the Rabona Boys as Vyn Skully, our resident Liverpool fan, relays the sobering disappointment that defines the end of Liverpool's season!

The 2021/22 Premier League season is complete, and had cardiac-arresting final day to finish off the season! Join in as our hosts NikSolo & Vyn Skully recap a dramatic final matchday in the Premier League! Vyn Skully in gets especially passionate when discussing Man City fans and Liverpool's quadruple expectations. The topic of discussion then turns to Kylian Mbappe's new deal and the new standards Oil Clubs are setting for the rest of football. They come to terms with the new hold that Big Money has on football and come to the startling realization that the European Super League is going to come back in a new form. Tap in for this heater of an episode!

Campeoones, Campeoooones, OLE OLE OLE! The Rabona Boys are back with a quick episode recapping the Seattle Sounders' EPIC win over Pumas in front of nearly 69,000 fans and millions more around the globe. WE'RE GOING TO THE CLUB WORLD CUP!

It's Groundhog Day, aka the Seattle Sounders' home leg of the CCL Final and just like the movie, it's even more serious this time around. To mark the occasion, the boys are back with a huge recap of the Practice Final and an in-depth preview of the Actual Final (the Final Final to some.) This is the Sounders' chance to make history, and the Rabona Boys can feel it in the air.

A quick episode for ya'll this time! Recorded right after the Sounders' bizarre loss to the Earthquakes, our hosts recap an emotional game which had the in-control Sounders looking shaky vs. San Jose and update us on the relative success of Liverpool and Arsenal, and talk about Villareal slaying Big Red. Get your Sounders fix right before the first leg of the CCL Final!

The Rabona Boys are back with a fire episode! We're dropping this episode on Nik Solo's bday, where your hosts react to the first Liverpool-City game, Nik Solo and Arsenal get brought back down to earth with a horrifying jolt, and the Seattle Sounders are on their way to making history for football in America. Join us!

The boys are back with a quick episode to follow up last week's preview of the Liverpool vs Arsenal game. Listen to our post match thoughts as well as a little preview of what the end of the season is looking like. Who is making top 4? Who is winning the title? This season is destined for some late stage drama.

The Rabona Boys are back with another one! Our hosts give their feelings on the upcoming Rabona Boys Derby, where both hosts acknowledge Arsenal's growth in recent months. Vyn Skully & Nik Solo then recap the excellent second game between Real Madrid & Paris Saint-Germain and discuss what PSG sorely lack in the Champions League. Then the boys finish with a review of the Sounders and what to expect from the early season.

The Coro- I mean, Rabona Boys are back! Vyn Skully & Nik Solo return from their hectic lives to talk some footy. The EPL title race is getting closer and closer, and Arsenal have finally put together a good stretch of form, something they haven't done in 5 years. The world is getting crazier and more expensive by the day, but your favorite armchair analysts are back to distract from all that! Won't you come join us? 

After a very busy Holiday season the boys are back to start a new season! A lot has happened since we last spoke and NikSolo has a lot to say about Arsenal's run of form. Vyn Skully talks about his appreciation for AFCON and the purity of the game when giant corporations are not involved. All this plus much more!

The Rabona boys are back and they brought company! Vyn Skully and NikSolo invite their first guest, LittKangaroo , aka Seth the Manchester United fan, to discuss all things Manchester United. Listen in while our resident Liverpool & Arsenal fans try their hardest to remain objective while talking about the trainwreck that is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the vague instructions he calls 'tactics'.

The Rabona Boys are back with alot to get off their chests! The Sounders had one of their trademark struggle-games against Sporting Kansas City, and neither our hosts are impressed. The Sounders' performance was lackluster and disappointing, but that was overshadowed by excessive violence, the league refs' refusal to protect players, and the bush-league response issued by the league's social media arm. Listen as Vyn Skully & Nik Solo discuss the events on the night and how repercussions might affect MLS and it's relationship with it's own fans.

The Rabona Boys are back with a huge breakdown of Newcastle, their new owners, and some very opinionated takes on what their multi-billion dollar takeover will mean for the rest of football. Then we talk Gini Wijnaldium at PSG and review the Sounders' performances for the week

The Rabona Boys kick off this episode by recapping the Champion's League group stage games so far. How has there only been 2 to 3 rounds and its already the most interesting club competition this season? PSG have the best squad on paper but they don't look good in real life because of ONE position. Bayern look indefatigable, Chelsea are shithousing their way to the top, and Real Madrid lost to a team from a country that doesn't even exist. After that, Vyn Skully previews the Liverpool-Man City derby and explains why he feels confident in Liverpool this season, and finally, the hosts dive into the Seattle Sounders and the rest of the regular season

The boys are back this week recapping the EPL weekend! Nik Solo recounts a wild North London Derby while in a state of constant ecstasy, and our hosts begin to ask important questions of Tottenham and Chelsea. Manchester City did something good and gave the rest of the league a blueprint on how to beat Chelsea (and all you need is a few billion pounds!) The Seattle Sounders are continuing their season of consistent highs and striking lows prompting Vyn Skully to break down the biggest issue with the team and the positives from the last few results.

The boys discuss Ronaldo scoring over the weekend and get into nostalgia they feel when they see him in the United shirt. Our hosts are old enough to remember a time when CR7 was a monster on the rise, reaching every bit of his potential under SAF at United. Then, the death machine known as Chelsea is discussed at length, and the boys get into it with each other over whether Man U or Chelsea is going to challenge Man City for a shot at the title. Liverpool look really good despite retaining their insanely thin bench, but the Soccer Gods are still demanding a blood sacrifice from the Reds every time they win a game. Tottenham look as though they're forever getting their feet together, Mikel Arteta saved his Arsenal job but is still worse than Brendan Rodgers and Leicester, and honestly, nobody cares about City. No really.

Old News

For Episode 14 our hosts geek out about the Seattle Sounders and MLS in general. Despite its reputation, MLS is one of the most exciting leagues in the world today, and Seattle are one of the biggest reasons why. The Sounders are taking the league by storm this season, and the Rabona Boys can't help but get excited when talking about them. Nik Solo relays his experiences watching the league again for the first time in years and describes how he feels about the shiny new 3-man back line, while Sounders-obsessed Vyn Skully provides information on the team, their performances, and the club's aspirations for this season.

That's right, Episode 13 is here right after Episode 12! Ya'll, it's been one match day so far and our resident Arsenal fan is BIG MAD. Listen in glee as Nik Solo has a conniption discussing Mikel Arteta and what he's done to the team (did we mention there's been one game so far this season?). After Edu gets eviscerated, the boys get back to business and predict the EPL top 6 this season, and explain why Manchester United will finish worryingly high this season.

The Rabona Boys are back this week with a smorgasbord of topics. The boys relive their experience going to a Seattle Sounders game and how different soccer games are in real life. The transfer fee of Jack Grealish to Manchester City has left a bad taste in everyone's mouth, and so has the fact that almost everyone is too broke to buy players (except the Money Teams of course.) Harry Kane turned into a diva and had an entire transfer fiasco that was "somehow" excused by the English media, but we'll see if Nuno Espirito Santo will accept that kind of behavior in his new squad. We still can't wrap our heads around what PSG has done this summer, and is anyone paying attention to the moves Crystal Palace and Aston Villa are making??

The Boys are back and discussing the English transfer window! Manchester United are getting scary good deals completed and Paris Saint-Germain seem to have realized how to put a real squad together, and have basically bought the next Champion's League title. Chelsea and Man City are suspiciously quiet and they think no one has noticed, meanwhile Arsenal are being linked with good players (and even bought some!), and Liverpool... have been linked with no one in particular and essentially have the same squad they did in 2018. Join the Rabona Boys as they air out their frustrations with their respective clubs, and explain why Man Utd still don't have a complete squad to elevate themselves to the top (yet.)

The boys link up to discuss how the euros have gone so far. Revisiting their power rankings, they look back at what has been a very memorable tournament and some of the great storylines to come from it.