Don't Blame the Whistlemen (entirely) | a DC United Match Reaction

In the grand scheme of things, it is just a game. And in the long run, the karmic wheel should spin, and these terrible decisions by the Whistlemen should come into balance. But that does nothing to address the terrible frustrations of last night. Though, it must be said, not all of those frustrations lie at the feet of the men with flags and whistles. Some talking points...

* No killer instinct. Admit it, while we were dominating that first half and spurning chance after chance, you always felt that we were liable to concede something cheaply on the break. Fortunately, we didn't. Mostly that was down to some good energy in the last-ditch recoveries and poor Revs finishing, but the chance was always there. Yet I'm willing to accept surrendering those chances, particularly on the road, for the amount of attacking skill, energy, and intent that we had on display. But two posts and a goal were not adequate reward for said display, and highlight United's lack of a killer instinct, the ability to finish teams off that are ripe for the finishing. Also, would it be too much to ask that we...

* Put together 90 solid minutes. I'm struggling to recall here. Have we yet put together a solid 90? It seems that we either come out flying, only to collapse late, or come out flat, only to storm back into things. The fact that we storm back says that Tommy can make adjustments, but it seems that the talent only goes one way. When other sides make changes, we fail to adapt quickly enough. I'm reminded of a constant theme that I harped on last year: that other sides would simply turn up the energy, pace, and physical play, and United would wilt. While we did eventually fight our way back into this one, and deserved at least a draw, I saw shades of that old featherweight United at the start of the second half. The fact that we eventually steadied the ship is encouraging.

* Attacking mid controversy? While my notes for Fred's early performance mostly highlight much running with no reward and constantly losing headers, I do have to admit that I came around as the match wore on. The sheer ground he covered was impressive, and even if he lost challenges, he was still going in for them, which helped to keep us winning balls in their end or forcing them to dump long to isolated front-runners. And who knew that the key to his miserable finishing record was to move him further away from goal and make sure the bodies were tight around him, rather than standing a few yards off? It'll be interesting to see if Gomez gets his spot back automatically, or if Tommy sees this as an experiment worth pursuing.

* Flank play. I highlighted in my preview that keeping their wings quiet would be a key to the match, and for an entire half, we did just that. Pontius and Wallace were both a constant threat on attack, and Tierney (who probably doesn't belong in MLS but is the "quality" we'll be looking forward to with Garber's constant expansion plan) and Nyassi were both MIA. But the changes to start the second flipped that equation entirely, and we were at sea for a while. I wonder if Tommy was ever tempted to put in a fourth defender and try to shut down the flanks?

* Surprisingly effective. That's how I would describe Burch's crossfield blasts and Fred's ability to keep possession in the first half. Sure, they both faded a bit, but for a while there, it looked like everything Burch laid into ended up on Pontius or Quaranta's foot 40 yards away. And I've often chastised Fred for giving up the ball cheaply, but he was in fine form in the first half. Even if he gave the ball away (which he did far less frequently than in past matches), he harried the opposition to get it back. Perhaps he was auditioning extra hard for his preferred position?

* 50/50 balls. I bet if you showed me ten clips in isolation, so I didn't know which side the teams were lined up on, I could correctly identify which half they were from just by the effort and anticipation on display from the players on the pitch. Tommy had United flying at the opening whistle, but coming back from the locker rooms after the half, it was Nicol's words that seemed to resonate most.

* The verdict on Wicks? I don't know what you thought about their goal, but I thought Wicks should have either gotten a fist to that or stayed home. Despite that mistake, I thought he was pretty solid, and it's unreasonable to expect a keeper to be completely flawless. All keepers make mistakes. He did. We got punished. He also made some big plays as well. I'm still not happy with him as a first choice in the long run, but for now, he's decent enough to be getting results...if the refs don't interfere.


And I could go after the Whistlemen here, but instead, I'm going to fight disappointment with pathetic stabs at pointing-the-finger-of-blame misdirection humor in some Quick Hits...

* Back in black? What's the deal with everybody wearing light or white shoes for United? I think only Fred, Jakovic, and Moreno (for a change) had black shoes on. Maybe that's our problem?

* Why do we hate redheads? Let's face it, if we weren't so busy trying to knock Larentowicz unconscious and tenderize Phelan's gut with rockets from distance, maybe we could have put a few of those on frame. Reis hasn't exactly been his usual reliable self this year...

* Ironic yellow? Anybody else think that this game was going to enter Bizarro World when Pontius got yellow for laying into Heaps with a bit of a cheap shot?


All right. Are we feeling better yet? Probably not. But if Tommy plays his cards right, he uses both the injustice and the halftime let-down as motivation heading into the summer months. We were on a long unbeaten run. Maybe a bit of complacency was seeping in. Regardless of how fired up we looked in the first half, we didn't come out with the same energy to match the desperate Revs in the second. We eventually managed to find our way back and have some chances, but by then, it was already 1-1. And that would have been a fair result, given the balance of play, but if United were just a bit sharper in front of net, the chance of a single goal turning the match never becomes a factor. Time to break out an old mixed-feelings chestnut...

Vamugh United!?!

The Message

Before I get to the [delayed] reaction post, I wonder if I might present a conspiracy theory. Mind, I'm doing this on the evidence of Thursday night's McBribe...oops!...Fire win, and last night's officiating horror in the United match. I haven't yet watched the rest of the highlights to see if there was any more meddling going on, but picture this scene on say, Tuesday evening...

Deep in the rat-infested bowels of MLS HQ, Garber and his shadowy minions grumble as they pass around ink-stained sheets. It seems that notice of the plague of draws infecting MLS has spread from the wild-eyed provocateurs of the blogosphere to the ranks of the mainstream media. Garber's eyes narrow, and he crooks his finger, whispering to a hooded henchman his sinister wishes.

Cackling, this ragged crony ascends to the cobwebbed belfry of MLS HQ and straps a short message to the leg of a hunched and hideous messenger-crow. With a terrible croak, the giant bird beats its way aloft. Supporters' groups the land over shiver as its evil shadow passes across their assembled soccer specific stadia and echoing gridiron palaces, until at last it alights on the roof of the Tower of the Damned, home of US Soccer's nefarious cabal of Whistlemen.

Brian Hall strides forth, bald pate flashing in the pale sun, and pulls the message from the crow's proffered leg. He scans its contents, then glares at the ebon-feathered beast. Lifting his whistle, he blows a shrill blast, shows the crow a yellow card and storms back towards the tower. The crow unleashes a torrent of croaking abuse, and Hall turns. Chest puffed out in righteous fury, he rushes back towards the bird, fumbles in his pocket, and finally pulls forth first another yellow, then a red, dismissing it for dissent.

Then he spins on his heel and marches back to the tower, the message from MLS HQ dropping to the floor in his haste to stuff the cards back in the pocket of his shorts. It swirls in the gusting winds atop the tower until the crow pins it with a twisted claw. Cocking its feathered head, it fixes a glossy black orb upon the slashing chicken-scratch of Garber's hooded minion.

"Isn't there anything you can do about all these draws?"

No Reaction Right Now...

... cause it would get far too ugly. The refs have been ridiculous all year, but this one takes the cake. I'm not even going to try to come up with a reaction until I have some time in which to return to rationality. I'd be surprised if Tommy didn't have a coronary event in the wake of this.

Random Pings...

And around the interwebs we bounce. Off we go!


USA!

Bradley calls 24 for the qualifiers, including a couple of guests, one of whom is United's own Luis Robles...oh, yeah, right. Might have been nice for him to follow the Jacobson track back to DC, particularly given our struggles in net, but such are the facts of MLS. About that roster, Bob. Heath freakin' Pearce? Again? Ugh with a capital U.

Not USA!

Former United boss Peter Nowak will be on the other side of the Underby next season as he leaves the USA staff to lead the newly formed Philadelphia Union of MLS. Wonder if they're trying to build Fire 2.0 and get off to a flying start?

HDC Name Change?

So what do you think? In light of the refereeing chicanery that's been going on at the HDC including, but not limited to...Wallace's hand growing out of his thigh, Galindo being a mile offsides, the approximately 800 players sent off in the last two months, and last night's awfulness by Terry Vaughn, might we have to shift from calling it the "Home Depot Center" to "Home of the Dubious Call"?

Pattern Recognition?

Former midfielder of a successful club returns, stylishly-bescruffed, and imposes his brand and passion on said club, leading them from slight doldrums to terrific success. It worked for Barça. Sure, Benny Olsen would need a haircut, somebody to dress him, and a reserve side to play around with for a season, but I wouldn't mind the pattern repeating itself. The question is: how soon?

Escape from Draw City? | a DC United Match Preview

We've suffered some disappointing draws at home, and now Chicago are making a play to break free in the race for the conference crown, ably abetted by Terry Vaughn. United slipped up last week against a side ripe for a punishing, but now we've got a second chance. The Revs have been a shadow of their former selves after a handful of fortunate early results got them off to a decent start to the season. Now they're struggling at the foot of the conference and are beset by injuries. So let's...


Set the Table

• DC United are 3-1-7 (1-1-3 on the road) and sit 2nd in the East on 16 points while the Revolution are 2-3-4 (1-1-1 at home) and sit 6th in the East on 10 points.
• The last three league matches see both teams winless, with United drawing three times, while the Revs lost last time out after two draws.
  
• DC United will be without the injured Ben Olsen while...
• The Revs will be missing Albright and Badilla from their back line, Castro from midfield, and almost certainly Twellers up top.

Keys to the Match

• Adapt to the surface. While not nearly so bad as New York's glorified parking lot, the Rev's field plays fast and bobbly, a condition that would seem to suggest that we go with athleticism and energy in attack rather than guile and patience. Tommy might be leaning this way anyway given the stagnant performance by the vets last weekend, but much of United's defensive focus will depend upon who Nicol starts. If he goes with Ralston and Joseph, as he has of late, their ability to play the long ball to run onto will be negated as neither of those players is particularly fast, and we can play a high defensive line. If they put any of their young African burners up top, we may need to play a bit deeper to guard against this threat.
  
• Tight on the flanks. The Revs don't seem to create much through the middle this year unless it's from long balls. Much of the danger I've seen is coming in the form of balls from the wings, either flighted to the head of Joseph or looking to pick out the crafty Ralston. It's imperative that we limit their time and space with the ball in wide positions and try to funnel their attack through a middle that our five-man midfield can clog. Unless, of course, they plop Ralston behind a front two, in which case we'd be best served by denying him space to operate in.
  
• Test them early and often. The Revs haven't been creating many goals this year, and they are missing some players (and confidence!) at the back. Putting pressure on that defense and forcing them to make plays will produce chances. If we can take those chances (big "if," I know, given our non-Open Cup matches), that forces them to play more open, particularly since they don't create much in the first place. An open Revolution is a vulnerable Revolution. There's philosophy in there somewhere.
  

Line 'Em Up

• Emilio? Yup. I'd be tempted to go with N'Silu because this would seem to be a surface that favors his physical gifts and skill set, but Reis has been giving up rebounds, and that same surface will create scrappy chances from defensive miscues. We don't have a better pure predator to finish those chances than Emilio, thus he gets the start.
• No Moreno? As a sub, perhaps. I know we got excuses for last week's lame outing, but my lineup opts for energy over possession, thus the inclusion of Quaranta up top, though he and Pontius might be switched. Similarly, I appreciated Gomez' effort in the last match, particularly after he started cramping up. I'd also like his guile to unlock an inexperienced and somewhat makeshift Revs back line and to keep their holding midfielders honest.
  
• Return of the rooks? Again, it's a matter of energy and effort, and we're most likely to get that from the rookies on the flanks. I highlighted the importance of defending the flanks, which might make me consider McTavish over Pontius on the right, but I think we want to keep them on their heels defensively, thus my inclusion of Pontius (or Quaranta, if the two swap roles).
• Settled at the back? With Olsen still out injured, I don't think there's much doubt that we won't continue with the same back line and defensive midfield, right?
• Wicks on fire? Sure, he wouldn't be my first choice as a starting keeper, but it seems that Tommy's made it his job to lose. Here's hoping he doesn't take that chance.

So that's the way I see us lining up. There's always the chance that Tommy goes for the big shakeup this week to get a response after last week's disappointment, but it may be equally likely that he gives the same eleven a chance to redeem themselves. That might work if we were at home, but I think it's unlikely on the road and on a pitch that doesn't favor possession. What do you think? How would you line them up? Any predictions on the score? Think we'll look to attack or sit back?

UCL Final Addendum

Just to wrap up my thoughts on the UEFA Champions' League final...

• May I recommend this as a complement to my match reaction and as the perfect companion for your summer travels?
• Congrats to DC United midfielder Andrew Jacobson for correctly predicting the 2-0 Barcelona victory.
  

The Ghost of Johan | a UCL Final Reaction

I'm not going to go into agonizing detail of wax eloquent about Barça's almost routine handling of the massively dangerous Manchester United attack (after about the first 10 minutes or so). Nor am I going to start advocating that DC United's possession-based game demands a switch to a Barça-style 4-3-3. Instead, I just thought I'd mention the one thing that kept passing before my eyes as I watched Barcelona defeat Manchester United 2-0 in the UEFA Champions' League final last night: the shadowy presence of Johan Cruyff.

It wasn't primarily to do with "Total Football," though I did see a defensive midfielder playing at center back make a dribbling run beyond his midfield and into the attacking third, only to pass to another advancing defender. And, now that I think about it, I recall a defensive midfielder as the furthest player forward, closing down the opposition's keeper, while Barcelona were defending. And a fullback, on the end of a long spell of possession, going one-on-one with the keeper, with 10 minutes remaining and supposedly protecting a 2-0 lead.

Nor was it really in the way Messi approached the center forward position, roving freely about the pitch. One moment he would be the furthest forward, leading the line. The next he would drop off into midfield, often quite deep, to gain possession and start the move forward. Wasn't there another slight dribbling maestro who played the position in much the same way (though with a more nuanced passing game)? What was his name again?

(As an aside here, one of my favorite moments of the final was Messi charging forward with the ball, only to be sandwiched by three United defenders. The quartet fell in a heap, but Messi sprang back on his feet immediately, only to have the referee blow the whistle instead of playing the advantage. Messi's reaction? A smile, perhaps a little wry, for the referee. Can we take a moment to imagine the thermonuclear tantrum of...oh, I don't know, let's say one Cristiano Ronaldo in said situation? But back to our story...)

No, the ghostly hand of Cruyff was most evident in the tick-tock, pass-and-move game that had United chasing shadows for long stretches, particularly in the second half. The neat, short passes that seemed to be going nowhere until a sudden change of pace...a quick turn...an incisive ball...a darting run...and Barça were at United's throat, seemingly in the blink of an eye.

Yes, if United had capitalized on their early dominance of possession and chances, or if Eto'o had failed to convert Barcelona's only early look at net, the dance may have ended quite differently. But on this night, once the blaugrana had settled into their rhythm, there was only going to be one winner, and that winner was dancing to a tune called by the ghost of Johan.

MLS Table Talk | The Baying Hounds Approach

And here come the baying hounds of the Playoff Pack, ready to pull the Goats back into the morass from which they had broken! Chivas' lead is down to six points, but the Fire have a game in hand, which they will play this weekend, and they play Chivas tomorrow evening, so we could be knotted up at the top by the time next week's Table Talk hits the interwebs. The Fire have opened a small lead above five teams within a point of each other, who in turn have a small lead over the Rapids, clinging desperately to the final spot in the Playoff Pack. Around the margins sniff five teams within two points of each other and two to four points of the Rapids, while down at the bottom sulk the lowly Quakes and Starcows. Talking Points?

• You Down With PPG? The points per game table is eerily aligned with the points table given that teams might have played anywhere from nine to eleven games apiece. The only exception? The Dynamo, whose 1.7 ppg would put them third on the table, rather than sixth.
• Just Win Baby! In this season of draws, wins are even more valuable. Witness the fact that the top nine sides all boast three or more wins, with Chivas' remarkable seven putting them well ahead...for now.
• It's in the Net! Likewise, the number of goals scored seems to be indicative of league position, with the only outliers being the 12th ranked Crew at 1.3 and the 6th ranked Dynamo at 1.2. The Fire lead the way at 1.7, while the Revs, Bulls, and Dallas linger below a goal per game at 0.9.
• You Shall Not Pass! The difference between first and last? How about Chivas setting the defensive pace by letting in only one goal every other game (0.5) while the league-leakiest Quakes surrender over two per game (2.1)?
  
• Making a Difference? That same pair are reflected in the goal difference chart, with Chivas the class of the league on +9 and San Jose clocking in at a miserable -10.
• Ties Unlimited? Apparently the rash of draws infecting MLS doesn't seem to have one specific focus. The Fire (6 draws) and United (7 draws) sit atop the East, while the Crew (6 draws) are tied for last in the same conference. And the tie specialists, the Galaxy (8 draws), are lurking outside of the playoff positions as well. It is notable that the two sides with the fewest draws (RSL and San Jose, on two draws apiece) are both currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs.
• Biggest Loser? It's no strange thing to see the bottom three leading the league with six losses each, but isn't it odd to see RSL, who have just one less loss, hanging about just below the playoff places? Parity Police indeed!

So that's what I can glean from the numbers. Anything else you see that's of interest? Let's hear it in the comments.

DCU Connect The Dots

Ready for a little trip..?


Triumph of the Hydra

A few days ago, we had a nice little back-and-forth regarding DC United rookie Chris Pontius' multi-position versatility and its potential impact on his development as a young player. Since the game on everyone's mind today will be the Champions' League final between Barcelona and Manchester United, it might be interesting to read about a player plying his trade at the highest level with a similar sort of gift, Barça's Andrés Iniesta. For years, his ability to play in multiple positions kept him in the role of squad player, filling the gaps. But now, it's that very adaptability and experience all over the pitch that has made him such a dangerous and complete player. Food for thought where Pontius is concerned.


Here Come the Multinationals

Though less heralded and less versatile than Pontius, United's other first-rounder, Rodney Wallace, has grabbed a starting role of his own on DC's left flank. And while Pontius has been put forward as a national team candidate, it could be Wallace who has a brighter future with the Nats given the giant, sucking void at left back. But Wallace isn't yet eligible for the US, and if his native Costa Rica comes calling before he gains his US citizenship, he might be one of a few MLS young guns that slip through US Soccer's hands.


Finders, Keepers?

And while we're on young guns, MLS, and things slipping through hands, how about a look at a couple of promising keepers in DC United's youth system who might be heading abroad? You'll note that late in the article, there is a mention of the possibility that one or both of these kids might give MLS a shot in the summer if they decided to forego the lure of clubs abroad, with United presumably able to exercise its option to sign players from its own youth academy. Might such a GenAd or developmental signing be the end for the loser of United's three-way keeper cage match?


Bring It On Back

Finally, returning to whence we started, how about a look at what United players and staff predict will happen in the Champions' League Final this afternoon/evening? While Jaime and the Phoenix (poll closed, the populi have exercised their vox) debate styles of play...

Moreno: "Barcelona just plays better soccer. Their posession is much better."

Quaranta: "It's a big field and Man U's attacking four is sick. We're going to see at least six goals."

Moreno: "Oh, an English team will play open? They're going to forget defense and just go forward? When has an English team ever done that?"

Quaranta: "You'll see - six goals. Man U wins."

...and McTavish goes for the laudably full-on Nostradamus...

McTavish: Barca, 2-1 in OT (Ronaldo PK; Iniesta, Carrick own goal) "Cristiano will score on a penalty in the first half, Iniesta will tie it up in the second and then off a corner kick the ball will deflect off Carrick's shin for the own goal winner."

...Burch applies the same level of commitment and focus as he does to his defense...

Burch: Man U, 6-0 (Ronaldo 4, Berbatov, Rooney) "I don't give a crap."

Exactly. (sigh)

MLS Dogpile | Tie Trouble?

Major League Soccer, home of the draw? Another weekend where over half of the games ended deadlocked. We can debate the causes, but the effect on the Dogpile is such that any win or loss gets accentuated with so many of the participants gathering one point at a time. The only positive exception to the rule was Chivas, where an early string of wins saw the Goats jump a fair way clear of the rest of the league. But the Tie Trouble has caught up to them at last. To the Dogpile, my friends!


The Alpha Dog

1. Chivas USA (WWWDD)
Back-to-back draws, with the latest coming against 9-man KC, sees Chivas' charge away from the pack come to a grinding halt. Will anybody be shocked to see them reeled back in by the not-so-tender ministrations of the Parity Police as we plow into the summer proper? A loss to Chicago would see their lead trimmed to just three, and the Fire have a game in hand, which they will play this weekend against hapless Dallas. Still, until the Goats are beaten or surpassed, there isn't really anyone else who can claim the Alpha Dog crown. Care to take your chance, Chicago?
Next: Fire (Home)

The Playoff Pack

2. Chicago Fire (DDDWW)
The Fire are finally starting to live up to their pre-season promise as they put together back-to-back wins. Despite the victory and a strong first half performance, they were lucky to survive the Bulls' rally in the second unscathed. Now they've got a double-match week in which to close on a Chivas side that's stumbled as of late.
Next: Chivas (Away), FC Dallas (Home)

3.+2 Houston Dynamo (WWWDW)
Well, there's a useful cure for the Goal-shy Blues! Get yourself a home date with the Quakes and get Ching back in the lineup. Houston break out for another three, and start their push to reel in the Goats in the West. The Dynamo are picking up points in bunches, but how will they handle a visit from their old talisman, DeRo, next weekend?
Next: Toronto FC (Home)

4.-1 DC United (WDDDD)
Yes, the unbeaten streak is long and impressive. But four consecutive draws? Having "crap on the road" visitors put 8 on frame to your pathetic 1? Not so impressive. Is it just a matter of weary legs or are United finally coming back to reality? We'll see next week when they travel to visit a struggling Revs side.
Next: Revs (Away)

5. -1 Seattle Sounders (WDDDD)
The Sounders are wounded and limping, but they're not quite ready to go down yet. If they can manage to stay healthy, they should be able to survive the summer, but how long until their depth is truly tested by injury, fatigue, and MLS defenses figuring out their new additions? Next week brings an interesting visitor in the form of Sigi's old charges.
Next: Crew (Home)

6. +3 Toronto FC (WDDLW)
Ah, so that's what the doctor ordered: a visit from the bumbling, stumbling Revs! Guevara and DeRo combine for a trio, and a whiff of Fortress BMO returns to MLS. It was beginning to look like the Reds might be falling away from the Playoff Pack, but they're right back in the mix with a good victory and draws by their near neighbors. It's still hard to see a side that starts Chad Barrett being anything more than a borderline playoff side. Will DeRo's return to Houston see them exposed as such?
Next: Houston (Away)

7. -1 Colorado Rapids (LDWDD)
I said last week the the Rapids had a chance this week to boost their stagnant league and Pile positions. Sadly for them, they couldn't quite get across the finish line despite a decent performance. Casey continues to look strong, but will he be able to carry them to the post-season promised land?
Next: Red Bulls (Away)

8. Kansas City Wizards (LDLWD)
Lucky for the Wiz that they were playing at home. With two men sent off, they still managed to keep Chivas out, probably by virtue of having so little pitch to cover in that tiny ballpark. From one end of the spectrum, they go to the complete opposite next week--home on a tiny field against the league-leading Goats to away on a big surface against the woeful Gals, who will probably be playing for a draw...as usual.
Next: LA Galaxy (Away)

Bum-Sniffing Omega Mutts

9. -2 Columbus Crew (DDDWD)
Despite another weekend full of draws, Toronto and KC looked just about impressive enough to push the Crew out of the Playoff Pack, mostly by virtue of the Crew's league standing and their inability to post a result of their own as they took a week off. Next week will be an emotional one as the defending champs pay their old boss a visit in Seattle.
Next: Seattle (Away)

10. Los Angeles Galaxy (WDDDD)
Who but the Galaxy could take a 1-0 lead and a 25th minute ejection for the opposition, who just happen to be one of, if not the worst team in the league, and manage to fashion a draw out of it? Who indeed? True, this wasn't your usual "Arena playing not to lose" affair, as the Gals scored first continued to attack until the final whistle, but if they can't beat 10-man Dallas, who can they beat? I wonder what we'll see next week at home to KC? Perhaps another 1-1 draw?
Next: KC Wizards (Home)

11. +1 Real Salt Lake (LDLLD)
Well, that was a little better. RSL claim their first road point and frustrate one of the leading attacking sides in the league while putting a fair few chances on net themselves. Despite being aided by some poor United finishing, RSL deserved their draw and will take a growing, if fragile, confidence on their continued journeys as they travel to lowly San Jose.
Next: Quakes (Away)

12. -1 New York Red Bulls (LLWDL)
So how many chances would the Bulls have needed to knot this one up? They seemed to have a bevy of decent ones down the stretch, but couldn't quite find their way through the Chicago defense. They might find slightly easier pickings in the form of middle-of-the-pack Colorado next weekend.
Next: Rapids (Home)

13. New England Revolution (LLDDL)
Two points from the last fifteen available and another multi-goal loss. Nicol's ship is going down fast. Only the terrible form of the Crew and the equally lame Red Bulls keep them off the foot of the Eastern Conference. Will help arrive in the summer in the form of new blood and a healthy Twellman? At least next week's visitors are draw specialists, so maybe the ailing Revs can pick up a point against United.
Next: DC United (Home)

14. FC Dallas (LLLDD)
Two straight draws for Dallas, though this one came after grabbing an equalizer while playing a man down for over an hour. Dallas, a man down...for over an hour...and they didn't concede again? While they managed to score? What manner of incompetent cretins could manage that one? Oh Galaxy, don't ever change! Next up is a visit to the newly draw-free Fire, who probably won't be so forgiving.
Next: Chicago (Away)

15. San Jose Earthquakes (DLLLL)
Yallop has to be screaming inside. Last year it all seemed to come together in the second half as they added offense to solid team defense and stormed to within a whisker of the playoffs. This year, the offense is stagnant and the defense seems to have deserted them completely. Can they find any answers in the busy week ahead or is it back to the transfer window drawing board?
Next: Crew (Away), RSL (Home)

Getting the Mix Right | a DC United Match Reaction

My in-match expectations this season have tended to progress from low to high. So how about this time around? Not so much.

I expected a motivated, energetic DC United to come out looking to dominate an RSL side that has struggled mightily on the road. And I suppose we did...for about 10 minutes. But after a few initial wasted chances, my expectations started to slowly, inexorably erode as DC continued to look more and more aimless in attack--old, slow, too patient, and lacking in ideas. The inevitable random chances of the late flurry aside, never did I get the feeling that we were going to break RSL down. So can we be bothered to shrug off the slumber induced by this game and hit the talking points? I suppose we must...

* Wrong way round? Hindsight is 20/20 and all that, but do you think that if Tommy had this one to play over again, he might take the opposite approach? Instead of starting with the patient, technical guys trying to break things down, maybe we go with energy and movement to (1) drag the RSL defense around, thus creating more space initially, and (2) wear down the defenders, thus presenting the technical types with tired opposition to pick apart. My notes for the first half feature the phrase "too slow" somewhere north of 500 bajillion times. Of course, all of this looks a bit different if a certain Brazilian takes his chances.

* Fred's no finisher. You love that Fred gets himself into the spots that he does. The problems arise when he actually tries to do something with them. Let's take a sampling of my notes

7' - Fred with a typical "finish"
12' - Fred miserable in the box again
24' - Fred misses yet another sitter. He's crossed the border from ridiculous to pathetic this season.
49' - Why can't anybody but Fred end up on the end of the last ball? Aaarrrgh!

I don't know which is worse for my blood pressure: Burch's crossfield wayward rockets, our adventures in goalkeeping, or Fred's finishing. At what point does the FO start to think that $200k+ needs to buy more than getting in good positions?

* Tommy the Tinkerman. I've sometimes been critical of this new Soehn trend towards making changes at the half, but I thought he made the right one this time around. Jaime was involved in pretty much nothing but giving the ball away during the first half (speaking of things that had to be playing havoc with my blood pressure). We needed more energy in that position, and the change was apparent almost immediately with Quaranta covering more ground and getting wider and further forward, while Pontius pushed higher (and made more dangerous runs) than Quaranta had been doing on the right wing. Of course, much like the early pressure, we failed to sustain that kind of attacking energy. But those glimpses make you wonder...

* Why does Gomez + Moreno + Quaranta make Quaranta tentative? Quaranta seems to get involved and express himself more when he doesn't have both Gomez and Moreno on the field with him. Is he deliberately holding back in these situations in deference to them? Is he being instructed to do so in order to let Gomez and Moreno have more influence on the match? Whatever the case, it's a worrying trend, because you want your best attacking players on the field together in order to create multiple points of danger for the defense to have to focus on.

There's more, but, much like United's attack for much of this match, I'm feeling a bit of apathy creeping in, so let's condense the field, RSL-style, with some quick hits...

* Wicks saved our bacon with a couple of big saves. He had his worrying moments as well, but that's pretty much de rigueur for United keepers these days, is it not?

* How does 5'9" Robby Findley win headers in the box against us? A worrying reminder of the "towering" Dax McCarty doing much the same earlier this season.

* 8 shots? Only 1 on frame? That's nowhere near good enough, particularly in our house (loved the "Chang We Can Believe In" banner, by the way). Even if RSL played things compact and a bit bunkerish, they still managed as many shots on frame (8) as we mustered in the entire match. True, many of them were weak and from distance, but we could have hit a few weak shots from distance as well to draw out the defense.

* Burch is simply not a good defender. Anybody else get the impression that Movsisyan was just licking his chops as he came on, knowing that he'd get to run at Burch? Perhaps we're missing a strong left back even more than we're missing consistency in net.

So are there any positives I take from this match? How about the fact that we didn't lose? There were a few dicey moments, but we did manage to hang onto a point that I'm pretty sure we would have watched slip away last year. I guess it's also a boost for our leaky back line that they got their first league shut-out since April 4th against the Dynamo.

Still, it's hard to feel anything but frustrated. It's one thing to suffer against a team that sets itself out to defend. It's another entirely to almost completely fail to test them--to watch our own attacks peter out to nothing while RSL's glacial, predictable buildup continues to create chance after mediocre chance. Is there perhaps a mix that Tommy needs to get just right when he has all of his weapons available? The right blend of youthful energy and patient experience that maybe doesn't necessarily see your best eleven players in the starting lineup by default?

Or do we just need to have Fred spend half of his time on the training pitch doing finishing work?

All right, let's see if I can rouse myself enough to sputter out a closing...

Vamos United!

Real Vengeance? | a DC United Match Preview

Time for a bit of revenge. In case it's slipped your mind, DC United has just one league loss this season, and it came via a 2-1 result away to our opponents tonight, Real Salt Lake. Lest we forget, we also dropped a 3-0 to RSL in the Carolina Challenge Cup in preseason. But given their struggles away from home and their current keeper injury crisis, now may be as good a time as any to meet them again. Of course, despite the poor start, RSL have the makings of a quality team--one that was predicted to go far this season. So which RSL shows up at RFK, the hapless road weenies or Kreis' tight-knit, dynamic band? Let's get started with the preview by looking at the roster concerns...

• No suspensions, some injuries. United, of course, are missing the fiesty Ben Olsen in midfield, while RSL have some of their defensive depth dinged up (though not the starters) and may well be starting their third string keeper despite United old boy, Nick Rimando, being listed as questionable.
• Tired legs. United's midweek Open Cup play-in might give us a clue as to Tommy's thinking given his substitution pattern. Jacobson and Gomez each got a half, meaning both should be rested. Fred got an hour and may be somewhat more questionable, though Pontius going 80 minutes might mean Fred looks to start. Wallace only got 30 minutes and Burch 10, which should see both of them ready to start as well. Quaranta, Moreno, Simms, Jakovic, and Emilio all resting means they're probably penciled into the starting eleven as well.

Keys to the Match..?

• Apply pressure. RSL will likely start their third-string keeper, and they have a center back in Olave who is prone to cards and questionable decisions. If they come out in their normal narrow diamond midfield, making sure we have wide threats will keep their fullbacks at home, thus minimizing RSL's attacking width. That said...
• Speed kills. United's defense has seemed particularly vulnerable to quick, mobile forwards, and RSL certainly have those, plus the likes of Morales and Mathis who are more than capable of springing frontrunners. We need to close down the time and space the RSL midfield has on the ball, and whoever is in goal will need to be ready to play a bit of "sweeper-keeper" for through and long balls.
• Keep them guessing. Beckerman covers a lot of ground for them, but I think our current style of having Emilio up top while Moreno/Pontius/Quaranta drops into midfield alongside a second attacking midfielder might cause them some issues. In addition to forcing more of their midfield to focus on their defensive duties, we may be able to pull Olave out of position to get the ball in behind.
• No hope. RSL haven't won away all season, including an Open Cup play-in away to the Sounders, and are winless in four (five including the Open Cup match). Even since their 6-0 demolition of the Revs, they've been in freefall, so their confidence will be low. We need to come out like we did against the Red Bulls in midweek. Jump all over them. Don't give them a chance to settle in and start building confidence. Of course, saying that, I'm fully aware that a "real" MLS unit isn't going to be the shambles that Osorio arrayed against us on Wednesday.

Predictions..?



...with Fred off the bench for Wallace, Gomez, or Jacobson depending upon whether we're ahead and looking to counter (Wallace), running out of steam (Gomez, Fred goes to the right, Quaranta to attacking mid) or chasing the result (Jacobson). Pontius probably also makes an appearance to spell Moreno and/or Gomez, depending upon how the match is going, with other substitutions dictated by fitness, injury, or game status.

Mind you, that's what I think we'll see, not what I'd like to see. Might we see Pontius reprise his midweek role in the center of midfield? Perhaps. Might we see Fred there as we did against Chivas? Also an option, though more likely off the bench if we find ourselves trailing (as mentioned above). I'd have questions about starting Gomez, but his two assists and getting yanked at the half in midweek would seem to indicate that Tommy is thinking otherwise.

Moreno and Emilio are pretty much givens, as is the back line, no matter how much I (and others) complain about Burch not being up to snuff, and it doesn't seem likely that John will (or should!) replace him any time soon. The question of netminder is ripe for debate, but RSL is a team more likely to test us with balls over the top and through the middle than crosses. For my money, that has "advantage: Crayton" written all over it.

So what do you think? How would you line them up? Who do you see as the big RSL threats? What are your keys to the match? Think we'll deliver another thrashing or get sucker-punched? Have at it in the comments.

Watch That Guy. He's Going Places.

Over on the Goffblog, the man himself asks...

On the subject of Pontius, where do you think he should play tomorrow? Right flank? Forward? Playmaker? Or deep central midfield like he did Wednesday?

A valid question. While he has put in reasonable shifts in the playmaking attacking mid role and in the center of midfield, his strongest positions seem to be right mid and forward, with the later as his likely long-term role. But all of this "where do you play him?" stuff has me thinking back a couple of years to a Saturday night at RFK. During the warmups, I was pointing out a guy to my brother that I thought he should keep an eye on during the game. A guy that had been turning my head regularly in his brief time in MLS...

Back to the present, and over on the Goffblog, first commenter robb10 chimes in with...

Does anyone else worry that by playing Pontius all over that DC United will slow down his progress this year?

Nope. If anything, the ability to play multiple positions both proves the quality of his "soccer brain" and guarantees that he'll see a lot of playing time because Tommy will be able to plug him in more holes. Sort of how that guy I was pointing out to my brother was plugged into multiple holes during his time in MLS: right back, d-mid, attacking mid, winger, forward. He too often prompted the question: "Where's his best position?" He too was a first round draft pick, going 8th overall to Pontius' 7th. He too regularly found the net in his rookie season, scoring 7 in 24 appearances, exactly the pace that Pontius (3 from 10) is on. Even today, plying his trade in arguably the best league in the world, he manages to log minutes in both wide midfield spots and up top.

And it doesn't seem to have slowed his progress too much.

Who is this masked man I speak of? Why, Clint Dempsey, of course. Pontius may not have the trickery and flair that Dempsey brings to the table, but he's never been afraid to take on defenders and may (assuming he continues to keep the ball down) become a more pure finisher in time. But both have that knack, while not being blessed with extraordinary size, strength, or speed, of having the intuitive sense and the determination to get to the right place at the right time and knowing what to do with the ball once there. Both stepped into MLS already exuding the understanding and confidence that usually comes only with years of experience. That's the type of thing that has the punditry pondering possible national team call ups. That's the type of thing that makes a fan nudge his brother during warmups, point out a kid, and say "Watch that guy. He's going places."

Time For A Chang?

This is hugely good news, no? Let's take further solace from Chang's comments, and then focus on the positives...

• MacFarlane was in it for the real estate deal. Chang is much more of a "soccer guy." I'm under no illusions that he's also not a business guy first and foremost, but from everything I've seen, read, and heard, Chang "gets it." He'll be far less likely to pull the trigger on a move away from DC (note the "under no time pressure" quote from the Goffblog), and he's more likely to find a stadium that's appropriate for the fans and team, given that he won't be concerned about "mixed-use developments" and stapling a hotel on the side of the thing.
  
• Not having to target a big swath of real estate potentially opens up new locations and partners for stadium development. There are more spaces we can squeeze into, and the whole project would seem to become cheaper. I would welcome debate on this topic because I freely admit my ignorance here.
• Do we vault to the head of the "hip owner" table? Sure, Mr. Price is Right has his marching band and scarves, but he's still just a minority partner, while Chang is a 98% owner hanging out in Lot 8 and banging a drum.
  

And that last part is what gives me hope. Yes, Chang will be more patient in his search and will target a smaller, less ambitious stadium project. But that's not a bad thing. Who would you trust to build a stadium for the supporters and not to prize open random consumers' wallets, Chang or MacFarlane? Who would be more likely to involve those supporters in the stadium-building process? I put it to you that the man at the tailgate would be. And that's a good thing for DC United.

Open Cup Highlights

Conclusions?

• Wicks sure is a dick about balls in the net. Geez, between that kind of behavior and Crayton's flopping of a few weeks ago, I really want to see more of Kocic in net, primarily so I'm not embarrassed by the behavior of our keepers.
• Was I the only one who knew that Fred was going to score on that long diagonal ball but still expected him to blaze it over the bar?
• Tough to make this call from highlights, but Janicki did not look terribly impressive.
• Gomez' corners are starting to clear the first man. That's a positive.
• N'Silu looked quick and technical. I'd like to see more.
  

A Quick Reminder

The voting has closed in the MLS Goal of the Week competition, and Santino Quaranta has made it three in a row for DC United...



But the even more important vote, that of Quaranta's new FBF nickname, still has a few days left to run. Get your vote in now!

poll by twiigs.com

FBF Glossary: The Whistlemen

They go by a variety of names in a variety of settings. Referees. Umpires. Officials. Judges. Call them what you will, but here on the Fullback Files, the preferred usage for the men who make the calls is Whistlemen. Granted, the linesmen (sorry, "assistant referees"...) and fourth official don't actually get issued whistles, but the Whisteorflagorelectronicsignboardmen is an exercise in compound linguistics that only a German could love.

Besides, Whistlemen carries both the romantically sinister ("Beware, lest the Whistlemen get ye!") and Golden Age comic book villain ("But will our hero escape the clutches of...the Whistlemen?!?") feel that I find entirely appropriate given the amount of blame, bile, invective, et cetera directed at them. And with champions the likes of Graham Poll, Wolfgang Stark, and, closer to home, Jair Marrufo, it's hard to muster anything resembling sympathy for the Cabal with the Cards.

Still, let's raise a glass to the men and women who voluntarily (some would say masochistically) shoulder this burden, often with frustrating and comical results. Let us salute...the Whistlemen!

Hooray for Depth! | a DC United Match Reaction

Guess what? We're deeper than the Red Bulls! Shocker, I know. Well, considering that I "followed" this game through a combination of Ives' commentary, the MLSNet.com match tracker, and the Goff + United twitter feeds, I'm not going to go into too much depth with the talking points. I just wanted to point out that...

* I nailed the starting lineup again. Okay, so I had Kocic instead of Wicks, but I got all of the other starters right. True, a few were in different positions than I anticipated, but I'll take my minor victory, pair it with the Chivas preview victory, and look for the trifecta this weekend. Sorry about the self-pimping. On with the game...

* Gomez responds. I called out Gomez in the preview, saying he needed to prove that he could still pull the reins of the offense. Now, that was a pretty laughable Bulls' defense, but two assists in one half of play say that the old man can still answer the bell. Our other Sudamericano in the lineup, Fred, also seemed to be putting in a quality shift. In other good attacking news...

* Khumalo the dangerman. Pretty much everything I was looking at said that Khumalo was hurting the Metrobulls all night long with his speed and movement. Considering Boyzzz hasn't had many minutes, that's good to hear. Depth and variety in attack are always a plus. Emilio the poacher, Moreno the smooth operator, Quaranta with vision and energy, Boyzzz buzzing at pace, Pontius in the right place at the right time, and N'Silu with size and strength. Now those are options!

* Going for broke. How long has it been since we were offsides eight times? I was wondering what team this was when the match tracker kept popping up with "DC - offisides" time and again in the early going. Grabbing three goals before the Bulls even managed a shot speaks to our aggression and domination of possession.

* The defense is still struggling. Yet despite all of this offensive glory, when Fred and Gomez left, the possession seemed to dry up. Then the defense came under fire and we still managed to ship three goals. Now maybe that's just a bit of "rout complacency fever" slipping in, but Soehn needs to address this, even if we were playing a bunch of second-teamers.

* Is Peters as good as gone? I didn't see anything on the injury front, yet he wasn't on the bench for this match. DiRaimondo got minutes, but not Peters. Perhaps they've figured out that he's just not up to snuff? Assuming we have some cap space, that's a senior roster spot we could be filling with someone useful. Given the depth in attack and on the wings, and given that we'd be dropping a keeper to bring another in anyway to address our biggest weakness, I'm thinking we could use cover for the "ironmen" Namoff and Simms. McTavish can cover one but not the other. I wouldn't mind a nasty, hard-tackling d-mid to provide options in the middle of the park...

Well, that's about all that I could glean from my various sources, so I'm looking forward to hearing from those who were actually there. What did you you take away from this match? Personally, I'm glad we're moving on, not because it further congests the schedule, but because we have some quality depth that needs to be getting some minutes that matter. Oh, and it didn't hurt that it was the Metrobulls that were on the other end of this particular beating.

Some Questions for Tonight | a Half-Assed Preview

So what do we think Tommy's going to do tonight? Does he put out a strong side and defend the Cup, or does he throw minutes to the Brethren of the Pine and rest the greyhounds for the big MLS race at the weekend? Considering that we haven't won in the league for three games and will be at home this weekend, facing a side with a poor away record who will have a third-string keeper in the net, I think you've got to get a result there.

Where does that leave us for tonight?

I think you'll be seeing a lot of pine-timers, though the likes of Peters and DiRaimondo will probably start on the bench. Their loan spells to USL2 sides seem to have "not ready for primetime" written all over them. Fortunately, we've got some quality depth this year, and we can run out a pretty decent reserve side. That said, there will be some gaps...

• Where do you put McTavish? If you start him in midfield, who goes at right back (assuming Tommy sticks with the 3-5-2 and John + Janicki are left and center)? If you put him at right back, who plays the d-mid role in midfield (Simms needs a break)?
• Who's Simms' dancing new partner? With Olsen shelved for a month, are we turning to Jacobson as our default option to pair with Clyde? If we are, I think you've got to rest him to make sure he's healthy, given that he's carrying a knock as well. If you're perhaps considering Fred after last weekend's decent turn in the middle, then Jacobson probably starts tonight.
• Left wingers? Of course, if Fred takes a turn in the middle, and Wallace is rested, who then becomes your left midfielder? Barklage, perhaps? Or perhaps Barklage goes in the middle with Fred on the left?
• Hand Gomez the reigns. It's not like he's been starting. And we need to figure out sooner or later if he's going to be able to run the show, so I think you start him, probably behind N'Silu and Pontius (he's had more rest than Tino/Wallace lately.
  

Predicted lineup? No time for the fancy stuff, so here comes the Courier...

-----------N'Silu------
-----Pontius-----------
---------Gomez---------
Barklage---------Boyzzz
-----McTavish-Fred-----
-John--Janicki--Namoff-
--------Kocic----------

Namoff? Yup. You got any better ideas? Do you really want to see Janicki or Peters trying to play wide? Obviously, you yank him early if you can, but I don't see any viable alternatives unless we're going to a four-back lineup. So what's your guess on how Tommy plays this one?

A Tino By Any Other Name...

Looks like Tino is still leading the way for Goal of the Week, so let's get down to the business of assigning monikers. Recently, I made reference to Tino's return to United as being phoenix-like, a reference that prompted a few calls for an official nicknaming. That being the sort of thing that passes for a "signature move" on my part, I thought we'd get down to brass tacks with a poll. May I present your nominees...

Q-Basic, not just for learning programming...
For a long time, Tino was dubbed Q1, the initial tine in the Q-trident that eventually consisted of Q2 (Eliseo Quintanilla) and Q3 (Quavas Kirk). Of course, being the initial Q and the sole survivor on the current roster, perhaps Original Q now becomes more appropriate.

The Phoenix Force, not just for comics...
I've mentioned above the few scattered cries for the appropriateness of the Phoenix, given Tino's remarkable rebirth as a man and a player after some tough times. Then again, perhaps something with a little more Old World flavor, say Tino La Fenice, might be more appropriate?

And, just for kicks and giggles...
How about a little bit of a linguistic/pop-culture mashup in the form of Lando? Lando? Follow me now: Quaranta translates as "forty" in Italian. One of the famous brands of forty would be Colt 45 (are you getting there ahead of me yet?). Colt 45 was famously pitched by Billy Dee Williams...



And Billy Dee Williams, of course, is Lando Calrissian. See?



Too much of a stretch? Well, how about scaling it back to Colt 45, given that Tino's unafraid blaze away with power when presented an opportunity on goal? Or is that a bit gauche considering his troubled history with substance abuse?

Regardless, it's up to you now, faithful reader. I've but presented the options. After you've voted Tino for GotW, why not take a moment to vote for his new FBF moniker?

poll by twiigs.com

MLS Table Talk | Mmmm! Tasty Table Sandwich

Welcome back to the MLS Table sandwich. Sandwich? Indeed. Take a look at that points distribution up above. The piece on top is Chivas, still 8 points clear of their nearest competition despite a draw at the weekend. The entirety of the playoff pack behind them is compressed to within three points, meaning a timely win or loss could see you climbing or falling drastically.

(Just as a chicken & egg aside...do you suppose that the overwhelming number of draws are a condition of coaches not wanting to experience such swings, or does the preponderance of draws create said condition? Or are we all victims, or perhaps benefactors, of the dreaded Parity Police?)

Struggling at the fringes of the playoff pack are five clubs, all within a point of each other, and all within a single-game (3 point) striking distance of the bottom playoff sides. And, last and most definitely least, there is the bottom double-helping of thin, moldy rye in the form of the Quakes and Dallas, both of whom need multiple results to pull themselves clear of their lowly position four points adrift.

The one point of departure in the points per game table are the Revs and Reds. Notice that, alone amongst the cellar dwellers, the Revs are still managing to average 1.3 points per game, a figure that puts them level with Toronto FC, who sit five places higher. That said, do the Revs really look like doing much with their games in hand? All right, how about hitting the high points..?

• That's Offensive! RSL have tumbled from their perch atop the goals-per-game charts, with the Fire (1.8 gpg) now leading the way with United in hot pursuit (1.7). Want goals? Then you better be going out to see United, whose 1.7 goals scored per game plus 1.5 goals allowed means you're going to see 3.2 goals per game when they're involved. Unless, of course, they happen to be playing the likes of New England or Dallas, both of whom are hovering below the goal per game mark at 0.9 gpg.
• Hold the Fort! Chivas gave up two goals against free-scoring United this week to take their goals against average to a more mortal 0.5, putting them within striking distance of the Sounders (0.7) and Dynamo (0.8). On the flip side are Dallas (1.8), and somewhat shockingly, the Crew (1.7). So who is involved in games that feature the least goals? I'm sure there will be little surprise that it's the Dynamo, whose games involve just 1.8 goals per outing.
  
• Making the Difference. Chivas continue to set the pace with a +9 goal differential, and only Seattle (+6) and Chicago (+5) are anywhere close. In a decidedly predictable turn of events, the two adrift at the bottom, San Jose and Dallas, are saddled with identical -8 marks, though it may be a little surprising to note the Revs' disastrous -6 figure, which belies their being amongst the playoff sides based on the points per game table.
  

Anything else that catches your fancy? Wonder how long the Fire can remain unbeaten? Surprised to see one-win teams like the Galaxy and Crew so close to playoff places given that we've played 8-10 games thus far? Completely unshocked that the Galaxy are the only side with an even goal difference considering their record of one win, one loss, and seven, yes, go ahead and count them, seven draws?

Ugh. I just had a vision. If we finished today, the Dynamo and Sounders would be meeting in the first round of the playoffs. The image of the Dynamo's sky blue and bright orange intermingled with the Sounders nasal-infection green and bland blue has me, frankly, feeling quite nauseated. Jeebus, now I'm starting to wonder if the Union's "yawn, yet another team in blue" look is really that bad after all!

Vote Tino!

Don't forget to Vote Tino to make it three weeks running that United strolls away with Goal of the Week. He's currently in the lead, with only Eddie Lewis for close company. Actually, this might be a good time to start discussing nicknames. Sniff, sniff. I smell a poll coming around the bend, say this afternoon to go with your Table Talk and your tea?

Stay tuned...

The Defense Rests

Well, there's your definitive evidence that Gomez was onside. Now, let the debate begin about whether Gomez got the final touch or not. Wouldn't it suck for Tino to win Goal of the Week only to have the goal credited to Gomez later in the week?

MLS Dogpile | Pummeling the Deceased Equine

Here come the Parity Police with the thud of jackboots and the crackle of tasers! Only one of my previous week's Playoff Pack + Alpha Dog managed a win this week, and it just happened to be a Chicago side stuck in neutral on the back of five draws that had me looking to drop them a bit down the pile before the results rolled in. I bet tomorrow's Table Talk will make for some interesting conversation. In the meantime, let's see if I can spark a little interest on the Dogpile. Cue the intuition, it's time to hit the Pile!


The Alpha Dog

1. Chivas USA (LWWWD)
Ah, so they are mortal! 2-0 up with under 15 minutes to go, and the Goats, who had only given up three goals all season (that's nine previous games for those keeping score at home) managed to concede two and drop two points in the process. At home. After being outshot nearly 2-to-1 by the visiting United. Sadly for the rest of the league, that's nowhere near enough to see them toppled from the top dog position considering the efforts of those immediately below them and the overwhelming evidence of previous results. The question now will be: what response can Preki get from his men next week?
Next: KC Wizards (Away)

The Playoff Pack

2. +2 Chicago Fire (DDDDW)
A win at long last and a clean sheet to boot. Am I ready to start warming up the "Here comes the Chicago steamroller" headlines? Not quite yet. Even though TFC was at home, I'm not convinced they're a real playoff contender as of yet, though a defender or two might help that situation. And against that suspect defense, the Fire only managed seven shots? And Barrett managed to look dangerous for TFC? Hmmm, something's not quite right in Chi-town, though a shutout on the road is tidy business. Now we'll see if they can get the momentum building that their roster and the bated-breath expectations of the drooling punditry would have us believe is possible.
Next: Red Bulls (Away)

3. DC United (WWDDD)
United are starting to look like a team that refuses to be beaten. Sure, they're sitting on three draws in a row, the equivalent point total they would have taken by winning any one of those three games, but coming back from 2-0 down on the road against the clear league leaders to maintain their unbeaten run has got to carry some heavy psychological mojo. I'll keep them amongst the lead dogs for now, but a result at home against RSL will be mandatory to keep them there next week.
Next: RSL (Home)

4. -2 Seattle Sounders (LWDDD)
Three draws running seems pretty much equivalent to DC's current form, but DC's latest draw came against the undisputed Alpha Dog, while Seattle's was against a whipped and whimpering Omega Mutt scrounging for scraps at the bottom of the Pile. Seattle had enough quality in their starters to come out of the gates strong. It's what pads the roster after those starters that is the real worry. The miles logged on tired legs are beginning to pile up, and summer approaches. Are we about to witness a Hull-esque collapse?
Next: Rapids (Away)

5. Houston Dynamo (DWWWD)
A road draw, but one that's got to feel like a loss after being up a man for nearly an hour and surrendering a late, late equalizer to the ten men of New York. This is the Dynamo's big problem at the moment. They're pretty solid at the back, they often dominate games, but they just can't seem to score enough goals. That being said, they were robbed of what looked a perfectly legitimate goal by the whistlemen, though Red Bulls fans may argue that those same whistlemen were slow with the cards against a Houston side that's increasingly resembling the thuggish Chivas. Or is that the other way around? Perhaps Preki's winning formula is based upon observation of Kinnear's recent success rather than original gangsterism? Discuss.
Next: Quakes (Home)

6. Colorado Rapids (DLDWD)
Tough one for the Rapids as they looked to have done enough to deserve all three points on the road against the Revs. Casey stays hot, taking his season total to five, and the defense (or was it the Rev's lack of offense?) limited the home side to just six shots, with only two on frame. Next week throws up a big opportunity for the Rapids to ambush a stumbling Seattle at the (largely uninhabited) Dick to boost their stagnant league, and Dogpile, position.
Next: Seattle (Home)

7. Columbus Crew (DDDWD)
Last week I asked the following: "Question: is it inevitable that a team that seems to specialize in giving up late draws and a team that specializes in grabbing them will produce late drama leading to a draw?" Thank you! Thank you! I doff my Nostrodamus cap in the general direction of the adoring interweb throngs. Just when it seemed that the Crew might register back-to-back wins to get their season back on track, Eddie Lewis casts aside his walker and cranks one from range to give the HDC its second MLS late long-distance equalizer in a single weekend. Sure would have been nice to be entering a bye week on the back of two wins, eh?
Next: bye

8. +1 Kansas City Wizards (WLDLW)
Looks like the Wiz want to steal the roller-coster club crown from RSL. Not a dominant 2-0, but a significant one, as Josh Wolff (sigh) climbs atop the scoring charts with Brian McBride by netting his fifth and sixth of the season. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is going to be the Wizard's pattern all year. They'll hover right around the fringes of the Playoff Pack, one week looking like a good bet for post-season danger, and the next dropping points they shouldn't.
Next: Chivas (Home)

Bum-Sniffing Omega Mutts

9. -1 Toronto FC (WWDDL)
Oof! That was a bit of 2-0 brick wall to slam into at Fortress BMO, wasn't it? Despite the scoreline, TFC looked to be more than holding their own against the Fire. Still, it's a loss at home, and that drops the Reds from the Playoff Pack. Is the "Phew, we finally got rid of that crazy coach!" boost finally petering out? Will Mad Mo be able to find a couple of quality defenders in the summer to bolster the ranks ahead of Frei? Heck, they may need more than defensive help when the Gold Cup starts sucking their roster dry this summer.
Next: Revs (Home)

10. Los Angeles Galaxy (DWDDD)
This is getting to be a rather stale tale, isn't it? Ricketts saves the LA bacon. Stupid defensive lapse lets the opposition in. LA grabs the late equalizer. How many times have we seen this film before? Ah well, I suppose it's only appropriate given Hollywood's penchant for resurrecting horses that have been beaten to death a handful of times already, just to give them one final licking (until the next time, of course). When does Beckham return again to face the boos at the HDC? Anything to break the monotony, please!
Next: FC Dallas (Away)

11. +1 New York Red Bulls (LLLWD)
So what to take from this one? Kandji still looks a terror, and they scrapped for a point after playing a man down for nearly an hour. But Rojas lived up to his name to earn yet another early-season red for the (also appropriately named) Red Bulls. They lost another of Osorio's imports to injury (Johnson). And, of course, it was a draw at home and the defense, yet again, looked slow and exploitable. So which Red Bull roster do you see: full of scrap or full of crap? I tend to think they've got at least a minor run hidden in there somewhere.
Next: Fire (Home)

12. -1 Real Salt Lake (WLDLL)
It's all falling apart for a side that many (including yours truly) thought would qualify easily for the playoffs, if not challenge for the Shield and Cup outright. Can Kreis plug the holes and break out the bilge pump in time to save their rapidly sinking season? The tools would seem to be there. Perhaps they just need (hello mutilated corpse of the deceased equine I can't seem to stop pummeling!) one really lethal finisher to complete the puzzle.
Next: DC United (Away)

13. New England Revolution (DLLDD)
All right, Revs, so you got a draw. But you got it after mustering just two shots on frame in your own park. Not good. Nicol's smoke and mirrors show is now winless in five, with just three points to show for the last fifteen available to them. A trip to BMO with TFC having just been stung at home by the Fire would not seem to present too many opportunities for improvement on that sorry figure. Is the Rev's long run as one of the top sides in the league at long last at an end, or can Nicol draw one last drop of blood from the stones that pass for soil in New England?
Next: Toronto FC (Away)

14. FC Dallas (WLLLD)
Alright, so it wasn't a loss, the performance wasn't embarrassing, and it came against the #2 team in the league. But it's still a home draw that claims a solitary point from the last twelve on offer. Dallas are still deep in the mire. Will the FO finally start to question their commitment to Hyndman if they fail to get anything at home to LA next week?
Next: LA Galaxy (Home)

15. San Jose Earthquakes (DDLLL)
No help for the lowly. Both sides immediately above the Quakes on the Pile earned draws, while Yallop's men had to continue to stew on that 4-1 hammering by their fellow Omega Mutts from New York. A visit to the Quakes-turned-Dynamo seems an unlikely source of succor, but these "Clone Wars" do tend to be close affairs, so hope springs eternal. Even without any proven goal scorers.
Next: Houston (Away)

Another Cardiac Finish | a DC United Match Reaction

Chivas USA are nothing if not predictable. They stayed compact, got physical in the midfield, and looked to hit United on the break. And for 75+ minutes, it was working, as it has for the majority of this young season in Major League Soccer. United's chances were few and of poor quality. Chivas looked just as likely to grab something on the break as they did to concede, and things were finely poised between 2-1 and 3-0, though I'll admit to feeling it was going to end 2-0. I know I've been somewhat doubtful of United's playoff credentials, but coming back from 2-0 down, with 15 minutes to play, on the road, against the best defense in the league? That's the performance of a playoff-bound side, neh?


Talking Points

* A question of tactics. Yes, I know I nailed the lineup in my preview, but I still do wonder if maybe we would have been better served with four at the back. The HDC has a pretty big playing surface, and there were times when we looked awfully stretched at the back. It's hard to argue with the result, but maybe if we just stay solid with four backs, we don't have to come back from 2-0 down, because Chivas, without Kljestan, had little to offer creatively in attack. I would have had no problems going to three at the back when Chivas grabbed the lead and began dropping off, but from a starting standpoint, it may not have been the best selection.

* A question of preparation. Similar questions will have to be asked of Soehn about starting Olsen. Maybe if Jacobson was fully fit, he would have started regardless, but you just hope Benny didn't set himself back a couple of weeks by trying to go for this match. Another note of censure might go to Pontius for picking the wrong studs. He looked like he was skating out there at times, slipping at least 3-4 times in key positions, both in the attack and on defense. Despite those troubles, I was mildly upset to see him coming off at the half. He was the only one winning direct, attacking balls in the air for us, and his range, from attack to defense all along the right flank, was impressive.

* That's what we pay him for. As I was watching the match, I was already composing a diatribe against Emilio for missing on the clear opportunity presented to him when he knocked down a long-range blast and was one-on-one in the box. But then, minutes later, presented with a more difficult chance, he managed a remarkable finish. So, does a 50% strike rate in clear chances merit DP dollars? Absolutely. I think you expect to create, at the very least, 2-3 chances for your dangerman in any given match. True, not all of those will be clear-cut, but that's why you need an opportunistic poacher that will make at least one of those count.

* Four points to the whistlemen? Now, I've seen a couple of replays of Quaranta's late drive, and it looks to me that Gomez doesn't touch it. Nor did I see any angles that might have shown if Gomez was beyond the last man. But it seems to me that his poke at the ball might have been construed as "interfering with play," causing Thornton to have to honor what might be a redirection. I still don't think Thornton gets to that hit in any case, but it is a legitimate bone of contention. Of course, United will feel the more aggrieved by that particular linesman, given his absolute blowing of the offsides call on Chivas' opener. It's hard to predict how the match might have gone if he raises his flag there, but I think United will feel that between that blown call and Rodney Wallace's "hand growing out of his thigh" PK against the Galaxy, the whistlemen have robbed them of four points in the HDC this year.

* Man o' the match. It's got to be Tino, right? An assist on the first goal and the rasping drive (carrying on the cliche parade from the preview ;-) for the equalizer highlighted an energetic performance from the proud new papa. The fact that he got both from the right wing position might leave me with some egg on my face, as I've always been quite vocal in preferring him floating between attacking midfield and withdrawn forward. That preference is mainly due to a lot of wasteful crosses and some defensive limitations in covering a three-man back line. With a fullback to cover him, I think the benefits outweigh the negatives, and I wouldn't have any trouble playing him wide on the right. Also, I'm coming around to the opinion that if he hits one great ball like the one he did on Emilio's goal for every three he wastes, that's probably a net positive.

* Sullivan on his knees for Gomez. Whatever the case with Tino's play, I think he's still doing more than enough to keep Gomez on the bench, but you'd never know it with FSC's Christopher Sullivan falling all over himself to take each and every opportunity to remind us that Gomez is "one of the best in the league" and needs to be on the field for "90 minutes every game." Jeebus! Sullivan's grasp of the game has steadily grown on me over the years, but he eroded much of that growth in this match's commentary. Gomez has clearly not been the player he once was for United, and to claim that his introduction sparked the rally was a stretch. Did he have any definitive touches besides a couple of poor tackles? Not that I could see. I still think he's a good player to have in the stable, but at ~$400k?

* Speaking of overpaying for talent. Let's talk a moment about United's single greatest weakness at this point. It's in net. You know it and I know it. Yes, Crayton had a fantastic reaction save off a headed chance in the second half, and didn't too too much wrong in this match, but his flapping at a cross led directly to the second Chivas goal. He's a good keeper, there's little doubt about that, but is he worth $170k? That's ~$150k more than we're paying the kid Kocic. Does Crayton seem $150 better than Kocic? And that's with Crayton being a fixed, known quantity. He's not going to get much better, whereas Kocic still has years in which to grow. Maybe it's time we gave him an extended run to see if we really need to re-sign Crayton to a longer deal this summer.

* Chance of a change? Probably the only thing that keeps us from pulling that particular trigger is that we seem so deep elsewhere. Where else do we really need to add pieces that would justify letting Crayton go to free up cap space? The only potential weaknesses I can see are left back (neither Burch nor John fill me with great confidence, though both are adequate), right mid (though we have coverage in Pontius, Quaranta, Khumalo, and Fred, all are more attacking players than two-way types), and depth in central midfield (I wouldn't mind a fiery, hard-nosed tackler as an option; can we trade in Peters and get Vide back?).


Conclusions

So that's the way I saw it. Chivas did what they do best, and for a long while, it seemed like they were pretty much ideally suited to exploit what United brings to the table. You can color me just a tad shocked that we managed another comeback in this one and that we managed to stand up to Chivas' physical play. I expected that we might get a draw from this match going in, and I thought we did enough to merit that draw, but Chivas have been beating those odds all year.

So do I think that United is among the league's elite teams yet? No. True, we're better than most expected. In fact, we're pretty good. Playoff good. But the summer is coming, and with it comes the likelihood of testing injuries, exhaustion for our old-timers, and the inevitable rookie wall for the likes of Pontius, Wallace, and even Jakovic. We've got depth, and it has been tested. Soehn is managing the minutes pretty well. So far, so good, but the season is long. I didn't think I'd be saying this at around the 77 minute mark, but...

Vamos United!