You had to know this was coming, didn't you? Conditional draft pick here we come!
Also, who here is genuinely surprised that we're more interested in scheduling friendlies than signing the midfield fulcrum we so desperately lack? Show of hands?
Meet the New Boss | a DC United Match Reaction
Finish the lyric yourself while you weep in your beer.
Let's get this straight. Yes, Kevin Stott called a one-sided game. Yes, we were playing on a tiny indoor field made slick with mist. But we would have lost this game anyway. Culprit numero uno? I think you know where that particular finger's going to be pointed.
Talking Points?
* Simply Not Ready. Okay, so we played the close of pre-season with Pena manning the rudder in defense. Veteran though he may be, Carey Talley (a) is no Pena and (b) was only signed this week. But what about the disjointed attack? What about the numerous passes behind players or directly out of bounds? The ill-discipline shown on a number of tackles on a wet field? The failure to react to second balls? The inability to adjust to KC's formation leading to their domination of midfield while such distinctions still mattered? Those all stunk of...
* Soehn, Partido Dos. Early subs? Well, one was forced, but...check. Inability to adjust tactically? Check. Mysterious choices in the starting lineup? Check. Making subs that have no effect on the game? Check. Angry, bemused, and impotent stance on the sidelines? Check. All he's missing is the pimp outfit.
* Just Shoot the Damn Ball! Two Wiz goals came from rebounds. The ball was slick, the field pinball-quick. But did we have pops on goal? Nope. Pontius will have to go down as the most guilty party when it came to cutting the ball back and not firing away. And hey, when Quaranta finally blasted away (after the 90 had expired), he forced their keeper to spill the ball in the six.
* Chicken Wings? Now I may not be a professional futbol coaching maestro with all the fancy tactical training courses and whatnot, but the diamond in midfield tends to get its width from overlapping fullbacks and mobile forwards. So why were we playing with two wingers, one of them all of 17 years old (first pro experience on the road in crappy conditions?) in front of a d-mid who doesn't do much defensive cleaning up? Oy-vey! Most dangerous wide threat? Julius James. Double oy-vey!
More quick hits? It's like picking a damn scab...
* Morsink is good in possession (even if he holds the ball too damn long around his own box), but doesn't clean up messes like you need a dedicated d-mid behind three attack-minded mids to do.
* Simms is not a right back. We've had ample evidence. And he's playing on a slick field with a tweaked hamstring. Small wonder the Bum Hammy Hammer made its first appearance so early in the season. Plus ca change, plus ce la meme chose, as they say...
* Kasper/Payne get no pass here either. The big signings Castillo and Allsopp? Invisible.
* We all remember Troy in the rain in Mexico, right?
* 4-2-3-1. Perkins; Wallace, Pena, Jakovic, James; Barklage (sans Simms), Morsink; Castillo, Moreno, Quaranta; Pontius. Do it. Now.
There's a danger here. It's very easy to look at this loss, 4-0 to an unfancied KC team, as a signpost warning of the death march that lies ahead. And I'll admit to being worried (more than a little). But this was a slapdash back line on a fast, tiny field and a team that was probably more than a little overconfident given the way they closed out the pre-season. With Pena back in the fold and a slower, more spread field, I like our chances better. That said, the team did not look ready for this game, and that has me worried about the new boss.
He sure feels a lot like the old boss.
I'll follow up with a more detached autopsy either tomorrow night or Monday. Right now, there's probably some vino left over from dinner haunting the fridge with my name writ large all over it.
Ugh.
My liver weeps for what this year may do to it.
Let's get this straight. Yes, Kevin Stott called a one-sided game. Yes, we were playing on a tiny indoor field made slick with mist. But we would have lost this game anyway. Culprit numero uno? I think you know where that particular finger's going to be pointed.
Talking Points?
* Simply Not Ready. Okay, so we played the close of pre-season with Pena manning the rudder in defense. Veteran though he may be, Carey Talley (a) is no Pena and (b) was only signed this week. But what about the disjointed attack? What about the numerous passes behind players or directly out of bounds? The ill-discipline shown on a number of tackles on a wet field? The failure to react to second balls? The inability to adjust to KC's formation leading to their domination of midfield while such distinctions still mattered? Those all stunk of...
* Soehn, Partido Dos. Early subs? Well, one was forced, but...check. Inability to adjust tactically? Check. Mysterious choices in the starting lineup? Check. Making subs that have no effect on the game? Check. Angry, bemused, and impotent stance on the sidelines? Check. All he's missing is the pimp outfit.
* Just Shoot the Damn Ball! Two Wiz goals came from rebounds. The ball was slick, the field pinball-quick. But did we have pops on goal? Nope. Pontius will have to go down as the most guilty party when it came to cutting the ball back and not firing away. And hey, when Quaranta finally blasted away (after the 90 had expired), he forced their keeper to spill the ball in the six.
* Chicken Wings? Now I may not be a professional futbol coaching maestro with all the fancy tactical training courses and whatnot, but the diamond in midfield tends to get its width from overlapping fullbacks and mobile forwards. So why were we playing with two wingers, one of them all of 17 years old (first pro experience on the road in crappy conditions?) in front of a d-mid who doesn't do much defensive cleaning up? Oy-vey! Most dangerous wide threat? Julius James. Double oy-vey!
More quick hits? It's like picking a damn scab...
* Morsink is good in possession (even if he holds the ball too damn long around his own box), but doesn't clean up messes like you need a dedicated d-mid behind three attack-minded mids to do.
* Simms is not a right back. We've had ample evidence. And he's playing on a slick field with a tweaked hamstring. Small wonder the Bum Hammy Hammer made its first appearance so early in the season. Plus ca change, plus ce la meme chose, as they say...
* Kasper/Payne get no pass here either. The big signings Castillo and Allsopp? Invisible.
* We all remember Troy in the rain in Mexico, right?
* 4-2-3-1. Perkins; Wallace, Pena, Jakovic, James; Barklage (sans Simms), Morsink; Castillo, Moreno, Quaranta; Pontius. Do it. Now.
There's a danger here. It's very easy to look at this loss, 4-0 to an unfancied KC team, as a signpost warning of the death march that lies ahead. And I'll admit to being worried (more than a little). But this was a slapdash back line on a fast, tiny field and a team that was probably more than a little overconfident given the way they closed out the pre-season. With Pena back in the fold and a slower, more spread field, I like our chances better. That said, the team did not look ready for this game, and that has me worried about the new boss.
He sure feels a lot like the old boss.
I'll follow up with a more detached autopsy either tomorrow night or Monday. Right now, there's probably some vino left over from dinner haunting the fridge with my name writ large all over it.
Ugh.
My liver weeps for what this year may do to it.
Roster Reset | We Got Yer Stinkin' Rules Right Here!
So nobody seems to know exactly what the MLS roster rules are going to be going forward, which makes doing the Roster Reset seem a touch presumptive, some might even say foolish. But I'd be a sad blogger if I weren't able to step right up and suffer the role of fool for the team, right? So let's plow on ahead, half-blind, perhaps mildly inebriated, and see if we can wrestle some sanity from this madness...
What we know (or think we know):
What we know (or think we know):
- There are 24 roster spots. The senior/developmental labels are still in play, but may or may not have any bearing on the way the roster works going forward.
- Each club has 2 home grown player slots that don't count against the 24 (and we've wasted no time in filling them).
Working from those bits of information, I'm going to pitch out the senior/developmental classification entirely and reduce the Roster Reset to (a) 24-man regular roster, (b) 2 home grown players, and (c) any unsigned trialists. Note once again that this is merely a list of signed/unsigned players and doesn't take into account who is going to be on the inactive list for injury. Those players who may qualify will be so noted and marked with (*). We're also continuing under the assumption that we have 7 international spots to fill. Players so designated are marked (I). Got it?
[UPDATE: Thanks to commenters Dave K and Josh and the new dcunited.com, some changes are made via thestrikethrough. Kinda makes some of my reasoning fall apart a bit, but I'm all about playing the fool these days.]
[UPDATE: Thanks to commenters Dave K and Josh and the new dcunited.com, some changes are made via the
Regular Roster
- (*) Josh Wicks, GK - still recovering from surgery
- Troy Perkins, GK
(I?)Lyle Adams, D - jumped at Dev Dollars before they were taken off the table by the CBA- (I) Julius James, D
- (*) Marc Burch, D - out for a few months
- (I) Dejan Jakovic, D
- (*) Bryan Namoff, D - back in training or out indefinitely?
- Devon McTavish, D/M
- Rodney Wallace, D/M
- Brandon Barklage, M
- (I) Cristian Castillo, M
John DiRaimondo, M -do we need a third d-mid, and a pretty tame one at that?he shoots, he scores!- Kurt Morsink, M
- Clyde Simms, M
(I)Tiyiselani Shipalane, M/F - Kumalo's been getting all the looks, time to look at USSF Div II?- Chris Pontius, M/F
- Santino Quaranta, M/F
- (I) Thabiso Khumalo, M/F - seems to be in the mix for the Brotherhood of the Pine
- Adam Cristman, F
- Jaime Moreno, F
- (I) Danny Allsopp, F
Home Grown Players
- Bill Hamid, GK
- Andy Najar, D/M/F
Unsigned Trialists
- Andrew Quinn, GK - might be the #3 in net until Wicks returns
- (I) Quiarol Arzu, D - looks set to miss out if Pena signs
- Jordan Graye, D - drafted, but hasn't signed a deal yet, has he?
- (I) Juan Manuel Pena, D - negotiations in progress?
- Barry Rice, D - getting a long hard look as center back depth
- Daniel Woolard, D - can he beat out Graye? will that be enough?
- Drew Yates, M/F - we're not deep at a-mid
Even without the likelihood of Burch and Wicks not being active at the start of the season, we have three open roster spots. Pena seems set to get one of those, assuming we can agree to terms. I still haven't seen any confirmation or denial regarding Adams' international status, but if he has a green card or dual-citizenship, Pena's addition puts us at the limit. If he does count as an international, I'd expect Shipalane would get the chop.
Now, with Pena in and marking Burch and Wicks as inactive, we have four spots, at minimum, to fill, and six guys in the mix. Even if we weren't butting against the international limit, I expect that Arzu is out of the running with Pena on board. That leaves four spots for Rice, Woolard, Yates, Quinn, and Graye to fight over.
If Goff's intuition about Quinn being the #3 netminder to start the season is correct, we're down to four for three spots. From that point, I think we're looking at a positional game. Rice gives you center back depth, and Yates can cover the a-mid spot where we seem to lack depth. That would leave Graye and Woolard competing to be Wallace's backup, right?
Unless, of course, I missed somebody. And also assuming that United fills all available spots until the injured folks return, which they may not do...
Why did I do this again?
Let's Make Some Noise For Your Boys | DC United Post-Match Thoughts
Seriously? That dude on the PA at Blackbaud? I think we may have a contender for Christian Miles in the "most annoying man in US soccer with a microphone" sweepstakes. Wow.
No time for a full reaction post tonight, but I thought I'd dash off a few quick thoughts on United's 2-0 victory over the Battery to claim the Carolina Challenge Cup.
* Will anybody but Jaime score for this team? Allsopp had the best chance outside the ageless one, but his header went narrowly wide. That needs to be finished.
* Quaranta is way too high-energy and direct for the role we're playing him in. Get him wide... please.
* Najar at right back, left wing? Anywhere we can't play the kid? He certainly doesn't look out of place with the senior team.
* Lots of short passes and heavy legs out there. I'll chalk that up to three games in a week and the end of pre-season.
* Likewise with some of the uncertain play at the back, uncomfortably reminiscent of the putzing around that killed us over the last two years. We still were reasonable defensively, but you see what having Perkins behind the line does for us. Charleston would have had at least two, possibly three but for their poor finishing.
* Barklage hasn't exactly impressed over these last few outings. Boyzzz has been pretty dastardly as well.
Sorry for the superficial gloss. Feel free to cover for me in the comments.
No time for a full reaction post tonight, but I thought I'd dash off a few quick thoughts on United's 2-0 victory over the Battery to claim the Carolina Challenge Cup.
* Will anybody but Jaime score for this team? Allsopp had the best chance outside the ageless one, but his header went narrowly wide. That needs to be finished.
* Quaranta is way too high-energy and direct for the role we're playing him in. Get him wide... please.
* Najar at right back, left wing? Anywhere we can't play the kid? He certainly doesn't look out of place with the senior team.
* Lots of short passes and heavy legs out there. I'll chalk that up to three games in a week and the end of pre-season.
* Likewise with some of the uncertain play at the back, uncomfortably reminiscent of the putzing around that killed us over the last two years. We still were reasonable defensively, but you see what having Perkins behind the line does for us. Charleston would have had at least two, possibly three but for their poor finishing.
* Barklage hasn't exactly impressed over these last few outings. Boyzzz has been pretty dastardly as well.
Sorry for the superficial gloss. Feel free to cover for me in the comments.
Damn! Part II
In my role as Uncle Wally, allow me to bring you the goal that sent Fulham past Juve in the Europa League. The expression on Fulham boss Roy Hodgson's face at the end of the clip is priceless, particularly if you're used to the normal limited spectrum of his emotional displays. (Bonus? Ray Hudson!)
100318_FUL
Uploaded by 1513BB92024. - College experience videos.
100318_FUL
Uploaded by 1513BB92024. - College experience videos.
Damn! (Spoiler Alert)
If you haven't seen Deuce's goal against Juve tonight, you'd be doing yourself a massive favor to go dig it up. Or just wait till everyblogger and their mother's cousin's Uncle Wally has it posted tomorrow.
Damn!
Damn!
Oh, Those Clichéd Halves! | a DC United Match Reaction
Executive summary? Predictably messy first half with the scrubs, dominant in the second half with the extra man and the starters, Moreno brings the class. 1-0 to the good guys. But let's break it down a little more.
The first half wasn't pretty. There were too many gaps in midfield and defense, we had almost no cutting edge, there was no rhythm, and we were losing the possession battle until TFC had a man sent off. Even after the dismissal, though United had more of the ball, they rarely looked dangerous, producing tepid finishes or lame crosses on those rare occasions when they managed a sight of goal.
Line-by-line for the scrub half?
Perkins looked comfortable in net, James and Rice were passable in central defense in that TFC didn't really have any great chances that I can remember, but they weren't exactly an organized brick wall either. Adams, getting the full half at right back, didn't do much of note, while Woolard did much the same in his half-a-half on the left. Graye, who got the other half at left back, at least produced a few forward forays and one well-weighted, curling ball that was, predictably, squandered. I don't know that anybody did their cases a power of good, but Woolard getting yanked after 20 probably doesn't bode well for him, particularly since Graye looked a better option, though that may have had something to do with United having a man advantage at that point.
The midfield wasn't terribly impressive either, though they were a makeshift lot going against the likes of DeRo and de Guzman. Boyzzz and Shipalane worked the flanks. Shipalane had his moments, but Boyzzz killed a couple of chances singlehandedly. DiRaimondo was a big sucking pile of turnover at d-mid, hitting one particularly idiotic cross-field ball from the left flank that probably should have resulted in a good TFC chance, while Yates in the a-mid role managed to show some nice moments of control and had his head up. Up top, Cristman and Allsopp may as well have been invisible for all their bustle.
The second half was day to the first's night.
True, United played with a man advantage. But the manner of their play was what was more impressive. In the first, you'd have been forgiven for wondering which side had the man advantage. The second half left no doubt. United played quick touches, switched the field effectively, monopolized the ball, and probably, were Quaranta less wasteful, should have had more than the one goal Moreno managed to stick in the net after a typically patient piece of play on the edge of the box.
Line-by-line once again...
Perkins had little to do, but did what he needed to without fuss. James, pushed to right back, looked much more comfortable on the ball than I remember him being last year. Wallace was similarly poised on the left and got forward into crossing positions more often than James. Pena and Jakovic were calm, cool, and collected in the middle. Though rarely tested as a defensive unit, this back line can play with the ball at its feet.
Favorite moments? #1 saw TFC in a two-on-two break, Jakovic is on the runner, eying the man in possession, while James closes to help. Jakovic waits, patient, picks his moment, and just swoops in to spear the ball away from the dribbler. Love that kid. #2 saw the defense forward for a broken set piece with Pena and Jakovic exchanging passes and bits of fancy footwork on the right edge of the box.
Shades of total football? The way players were changing positions (Pena swapped with Wallace for one extended sequence, Morsink often dropped deep when James, Pena, or Jakovic pushed forward, the flank players were often overlapping and swapping spots, Moreno sank deep, Quaranta was often the most advanced) almost gives me hope for having something better to watch in the year ahead than the Cavalcade of Rejected Wizards.
Midfield saw Morsink and Quaranta in the middle, where the former impressed me with his distribution and switching of the flanks. Quaranta was energetic as always, but came up empty on the best two chances of the half and generally looked to be forcing things too much. Boyzzz and Barklage split time on the right, with Boyzzz looking much more effective with the starters than he had with the scrubs. Castillo had some moments on the left and seemed to be clicking well with both Moreno and Wallace.
Up top, Moreno started slowly, getting caught in possession a few times before he settled into the flow. Allsopp went the entire second as well, and made a handful of runs, one of which was picked out beautifully by Quaranta, only for a defender to bring Allsopp down. In general though, I didn't think Allsopp did much that contributed to the cause. I'm wondering where Pontius was. Since I've been on internet news blackout so the Champions' League results weren't spoiled, perhaps that's been clarified elsewhere.
Overall Conclusions?
* Sing it with me now, "Same old Pre-ki... al-ways bru-tal."
* That second half really wants me to believe that Onalfo has a plan, and that it's flowing, beautiful, and values possession. But I can't help thinking that this was (a) against 10-men and (b) those ten men were from TFC. Where's that Fox Mulder poster when I need it?
* Three goals in the Carolina Challenge Cup, all by Moreno. We're going to be awfully disappointing if we're relying on 36-year old legs to score the lion's share of the goals.
* Nothing I've seen from our right-sided options makes me think that Quaranta wouldn't be the best option there. Tino's a dynamic presence in the middle, but he's not an ideal fit. If we land Pena, that's the biggest glaring hole in my estimation.
And you?
The first half wasn't pretty. There were too many gaps in midfield and defense, we had almost no cutting edge, there was no rhythm, and we were losing the possession battle until TFC had a man sent off. Even after the dismissal, though United had more of the ball, they rarely looked dangerous, producing tepid finishes or lame crosses on those rare occasions when they managed a sight of goal.
Line-by-line for the scrub half?
Perkins looked comfortable in net, James and Rice were passable in central defense in that TFC didn't really have any great chances that I can remember, but they weren't exactly an organized brick wall either. Adams, getting the full half at right back, didn't do much of note, while Woolard did much the same in his half-a-half on the left. Graye, who got the other half at left back, at least produced a few forward forays and one well-weighted, curling ball that was, predictably, squandered. I don't know that anybody did their cases a power of good, but Woolard getting yanked after 20 probably doesn't bode well for him, particularly since Graye looked a better option, though that may have had something to do with United having a man advantage at that point.
The midfield wasn't terribly impressive either, though they were a makeshift lot going against the likes of DeRo and de Guzman. Boyzzz and Shipalane worked the flanks. Shipalane had his moments, but Boyzzz killed a couple of chances singlehandedly. DiRaimondo was a big sucking pile of turnover at d-mid, hitting one particularly idiotic cross-field ball from the left flank that probably should have resulted in a good TFC chance, while Yates in the a-mid role managed to show some nice moments of control and had his head up. Up top, Cristman and Allsopp may as well have been invisible for all their bustle.
The second half was day to the first's night.
True, United played with a man advantage. But the manner of their play was what was more impressive. In the first, you'd have been forgiven for wondering which side had the man advantage. The second half left no doubt. United played quick touches, switched the field effectively, monopolized the ball, and probably, were Quaranta less wasteful, should have had more than the one goal Moreno managed to stick in the net after a typically patient piece of play on the edge of the box.
Line-by-line once again...
Perkins had little to do, but did what he needed to without fuss. James, pushed to right back, looked much more comfortable on the ball than I remember him being last year. Wallace was similarly poised on the left and got forward into crossing positions more often than James. Pena and Jakovic were calm, cool, and collected in the middle. Though rarely tested as a defensive unit, this back line can play with the ball at its feet.
Favorite moments? #1 saw TFC in a two-on-two break, Jakovic is on the runner, eying the man in possession, while James closes to help. Jakovic waits, patient, picks his moment, and just swoops in to spear the ball away from the dribbler. Love that kid. #2 saw the defense forward for a broken set piece with Pena and Jakovic exchanging passes and bits of fancy footwork on the right edge of the box.
Shades of total football? The way players were changing positions (Pena swapped with Wallace for one extended sequence, Morsink often dropped deep when James, Pena, or Jakovic pushed forward, the flank players were often overlapping and swapping spots, Moreno sank deep, Quaranta was often the most advanced) almost gives me hope for having something better to watch in the year ahead than the Cavalcade of Rejected Wizards.
Midfield saw Morsink and Quaranta in the middle, where the former impressed me with his distribution and switching of the flanks. Quaranta was energetic as always, but came up empty on the best two chances of the half and generally looked to be forcing things too much. Boyzzz and Barklage split time on the right, with Boyzzz looking much more effective with the starters than he had with the scrubs. Castillo had some moments on the left and seemed to be clicking well with both Moreno and Wallace.
Up top, Moreno started slowly, getting caught in possession a few times before he settled into the flow. Allsopp went the entire second as well, and made a handful of runs, one of which was picked out beautifully by Quaranta, only for a defender to bring Allsopp down. In general though, I didn't think Allsopp did much that contributed to the cause. I'm wondering where Pontius was. Since I've been on internet news blackout so the Champions' League results weren't spoiled, perhaps that's been clarified elsewhere.
Overall Conclusions?
* Sing it with me now, "Same old Pre-ki... al-ways bru-tal."
* That second half really wants me to believe that Onalfo has a plan, and that it's flowing, beautiful, and values possession. But I can't help thinking that this was (a) against 10-men and (b) those ten men were from TFC. Where's that Fox Mulder poster when I need it?
* Three goals in the Carolina Challenge Cup, all by Moreno. We're going to be awfully disappointing if we're relying on 36-year old legs to score the lion's share of the goals.
* Nothing I've seen from our right-sided options makes me think that Quaranta wouldn't be the best option there. Tino's a dynamic presence in the middle, but he's not an ideal fit. If we land Pena, that's the biggest glaring hole in my estimation.
And you?
Roster Reset | Danny Walks the Plank
Glad I held off. Drew Yates didn't seem enough cause to refresh the Roster Reset, but Danny Szetela? Wow. Now there's a change. The immediate questions and speculation in my mind?
(1) Free senior roster spot and more cap space. How long until Pena's signing is announced?
(2) Color me curious why we protected Szetela in the expansion draft. Did we expect he'd turn up to camp with a fire in his belly and a new attitude? Perhaps. I'll be interested to see how Jacobson does this year in Philly.
(3) Wonder if anybody sniffs around Danny so we can pick up a draft pick for next year?
(4) Any plans for central midfield depth? DiRaimondo? Really? Ouch.
So let's reset the roster. I'll meet you on the other side.
(1) Free senior roster spot and more cap space. How long until Pena's signing is announced?
(2) Color me curious why we protected Szetela in the expansion draft. Did we expect he'd turn up to camp with a fire in his belly and a new attitude? Perhaps. I'll be interested to see how Jacobson does this year in Philly.
(3) Wonder if anybody sniffs around Danny so we can pick up a draft pick for next year?
(4) Any plans for central midfield depth? DiRaimondo? Really? Ouch.
So let's reset the roster. I'll meet you on the other side.
Almost a lock
In the mix
Outside, looking in
Senior Roster
1. Josh Wicks, GK2. Troy Perkins, GK3. (I) Julius James, D4. Lawson Vaughn, D - Goff says Adams has the inside track as fullback depth5. Marc Burch, D6. (I) Dejan Jakovic, D7. Bryan Namoff, D8. Devon McTavish, D/M - versatility is key; can play central or right in midfield and defense9. Rodney Wallace, D/M10. (I) Cristian Castillo, M11. Kurt Morsink, M12. Clyde Simms, M13. (I) Tiyiselani Shipalane, M/F - speed and flair bring something different; does he have more potential than Boyzzz?14. Chris Pontius, M/F15. Santino Quaranta, M/F16. (I) Thabiso Khumalo, M/F - quick, hard-working; not the most reliable finisher; one of he or Shipalane would seem to be surplus17. Adam Cristman, F18. Jaime Moreno, F19. (I) Danny Allsopp, F
Developmental Roster
1. (GA) Bill Hamid, GK - a freebie according to some unspecified MLS rule?2. Jordan Graye, D - hasn't been dismissed yet, but we haven't heard much about him either3. Brandon Barklage, M - only question is whether he gets a senior spot or not4. John DiRaimondo, M - Szetela's waiver puts him firmly in the running to stick
Trialists
1. Andrew Quinn, GK - apparently still kicking around2. (I?) Lyle Adams, D - according to Goff's little birdies, he may be in3. (I) Quiarol Arzu, D - Honduran youth national teamer, awaiting judgement after his trial4. (I) Juan Manuel Pena, D - I want to say it's a lock, but we don't know salary demands yet or how impressive he was in a single half of play in Mexico5. Barry Rice, D - not many spots open, but we might have room for a project center back6. Daniel Woolard, D - almost a lock if he wants Dev Dollars; if he wants a senior deal?8. Drew Yates, M/F - picking through Chicago's trash7. Andy Najar, M/F - would be "outside," but got called back in for the Carolina Cup; possible GenAd deal?
GA = Generation Adidas
I = requires international roster spot, maximum of 8 internationals on final roster [Cristman trade leaves us with 7 spots]
A crucial bit of information we need to consider when filling those spots is that both Goff and Buzz Carrick have identified some unspecified league rule that seems to allow academy signings as a "free" roster addition, taking up neither a senior or a developmental spot. I was aware that this was the case last year under the home grown player rules, but those rules also specified that Hamid wasn't allowed to play in MLS contests. Does this still hold or has the rule (which seems likely) been massaged by the scheming minions in MLS HQ? Whatever the case, if it's true, it changes the math, allowing us, effectively, five developmental slots. So bear that in mind.
In addition to upgrading Pena's chances, I've also boosted Lyle Adams at the expense of Vaughn. Goff usually isn't wrong about these things, and if he's intimating that Adams seems set for a senior deal, then I can't imagine Vaughn would be sticking around unless we hang onto him using Burch's vacated senior spot. I think it more likely that Barklage would be handed a senior deal, particularly in lieu of Szetela washing out.
So, assuming Pena, Adams, and Barklage to the senior roster with Burch and Wicks on the inactive list (Wicks' return to training apparently is mid-April, while Namoff, back in training now, might be ready sooner than the two months we'd be guaranteeing he'd continue to be out for), we'd still be under the limit, even if we continue to carry Vaughn and Shipalane/Boyzzz for now. I wonder if that gives Woolard a better shot at making the senior roster? I suppose we'll have some questions answered tonight when we see who takes the field against TFC.
As a point of comparison with our acquisitions, take a look at what KC is doing with those international spots, one of which they acquired from us. Two of their latest signings came from (1) the Israeli second tier and (2) non-league ball (fifth tier!) in England (I know Rocastle has a decent bio, but the fact remains that he was last with Forest Green Rovers, one of my favorite lower league clubs to manage back when FM was still CM).
Feeling a little better?
In addition to upgrading Pena's chances, I've also boosted Lyle Adams at the expense of Vaughn. Goff usually isn't wrong about these things, and if he's intimating that Adams seems set for a senior deal, then I can't imagine Vaughn would be sticking around unless we hang onto him using Burch's vacated senior spot. I think it more likely that Barklage would be handed a senior deal, particularly in lieu of Szetela washing out.
So, assuming Pena, Adams, and Barklage to the senior roster with Burch and Wicks on the inactive list (Wicks' return to training apparently is mid-April, while Namoff, back in training now, might be ready sooner than the two months we'd be guaranteeing he'd continue to be out for), we'd still be under the limit, even if we continue to carry Vaughn and Shipalane/Boyzzz for now. I wonder if that gives Woolard a better shot at making the senior roster? I suppose we'll have some questions answered tonight when we see who takes the field against TFC.
As a point of comparison with our acquisitions, take a look at what KC is doing with those international spots, one of which they acquired from us. Two of their latest signings came from (1) the Israeli second tier and (2) non-league ball (fifth tier!) in England (I know Rocastle has a decent bio, but the fact remains that he was last with Forest Green Rovers, one of my favorite lower league clubs to manage back when FM was still CM).
Feeling a little better?
Going For Coffee | a DC United Match Reaction
I hesitate to call this a "match reaction," since I wasn't devoting my full attention to the game for the full 90' and was dealing with a stream that kept cutting out on me, but I'll provide a recap for those who missed the game, and then move on to some overall thoughts...
Match Recap
The first half was predictable "pre-season" play with bad touches, disjointed possession, tentative attacks, and more knocking it around in midfield than goalmouth action. United probably shaded possession for the majority of the half and had slightly better chances, though RSL just missed connecting on a handful of counterattacking moves.
0-1 RSL (Findley): RSL player goes down in the box (Grabavoy?) without much contact (Morsink?). I was talking to my wife with half an eye on the game at the time, but it didn't look like much. Without the benefit of replay, however...
RSL came more into it as the half came to a close, but couldn't double their lead. United started the second half on fire, dominating possession with some slick passing moves and taking the game to RSL, both with the ball and without. RSL's offense dried up under a series of long balls and offsides whistles. Still, the United onslaught petered out before they could find the equalizer.
RSL swapped out about six or seven guys on the hour mark, presenting a soft underbelly of scrubs for what was a largely unchanged United lineup to savage. Sadly, the new legs seemed to invigorate RSL, and United were pushed onto the back foot.
1-1 United (Moreno): A McTavish through ball found Quaranta streaking through a gap in the defense. One-on-one with Rimando near the edge of the box, Tino tapped it lamely against his former teammate, only for Rimando to make a complete hash of the clearance. Moreno pounced on the loose ball and chipped it home into the empty net.
The game started to open up more. Tired legs on United's side, young ones on RSL's. Half chances started appearing, with United more able to exploit the flanks than in the first half, though RSL won a series of corners.
2-1 United (Moreno): What's with the corner kick goals? Somebody (Cristman?) rose to meet a Quaranta corner, headed it down towards the far post, and Moreno deflected it home.
RSL had a few more chances, the best coming late on with Perkins able to get in the way of a tight-angle chance.
Chippy game. Few chances. Just win baby?
Talking Points
* The formation looked much like I expected given the pre-season match reports thus far...
... Morsink sat behind the the three higher mids, with Quaranta having free reign to make marauding runs forward. Moreno tended to drop deep while Allsopp sat waiting on the shoulder of the last defender (where was Pontius?). I liked that we're pressing higher and with more energy when the opposition in is possession, though I thought were were maybe too eager to get the ball forward in the first half. The second demonstrated better patience and more coherent attacking play, allowing us to create more width in attack. Between Pena (if he signs) and Jakovic we may have the best ball-handling pair of center backs in the league.
* On the subject of Pena. He looked to be struggling with the RSL attackers' pace early (though, to be fair, Findley and Espindola are among the quickest in MLS), but after some initial struggles, settled nicely. I lost count of how many times we caught them offsides, though whether that's due to over-eager RSL attackers or good coordination between Pena and Jakovic is debatable.
* Quaranta in the attacking midfield role is going to be a project. I love his runs when he breaks from the middle (see: our first goal), but he just doesn't have the patience to play-make. His first instinct is to blast away from distance. His second is to hit a killer ball that might not be on.
* Likewise, Wallace is going to be a project at left back. He commits way too many fouls, gets caught with the ball in bad positions, and too often resorts to the hopeless long ball. Of course, maybe he's just basing his play on what he saw from Burch last year (zing!). But you have to balance the bad with the good. When he overlaps on the left flank, he does so with speed and hits an inviting low, driven ball.
* Old Man Moreno. So he had two goals and an audacious bit of trickery to lift a ball up to himself for a volleyed cross, but too often he was caught dallying with the ball. Is it a concern that the team seems to want to play at a higher pace while he wants to slow things down, or does the juxtaposition of that patience with the "hurry up" nature of the rest of the team confuse defenses? This jury's still out for me, but I find it frustrating that I want Tino to slow down and Moreno to speed up.
* Najar is a good little player. He did more at the right mid spot than Barklage did, and generally looked eager for the ball and willing to take guys on. A highlight? Beating three guys on the dribble before racing off down the right flank.
So, we played their starters pretty even and trailed to a questionable PK, but managed to beat their scrubs by a couple most of our starters still on the field. (shrug) It's pre-season. Still, you like that the guys managed to come from behind, and the second half was certainly a more impressive display than the first.
Anybody else catch the stream?
Match Recap
The first half was predictable "pre-season" play with bad touches, disjointed possession, tentative attacks, and more knocking it around in midfield than goalmouth action. United probably shaded possession for the majority of the half and had slightly better chances, though RSL just missed connecting on a handful of counterattacking moves.
0-1 RSL (Findley): RSL player goes down in the box (Grabavoy?) without much contact (Morsink?). I was talking to my wife with half an eye on the game at the time, but it didn't look like much. Without the benefit of replay, however...
RSL came more into it as the half came to a close, but couldn't double their lead. United started the second half on fire, dominating possession with some slick passing moves and taking the game to RSL, both with the ball and without. RSL's offense dried up under a series of long balls and offsides whistles. Still, the United onslaught petered out before they could find the equalizer.
RSL swapped out about six or seven guys on the hour mark, presenting a soft underbelly of scrubs for what was a largely unchanged United lineup to savage. Sadly, the new legs seemed to invigorate RSL, and United were pushed onto the back foot.
1-1 United (Moreno): A McTavish through ball found Quaranta streaking through a gap in the defense. One-on-one with Rimando near the edge of the box, Tino tapped it lamely against his former teammate, only for Rimando to make a complete hash of the clearance. Moreno pounced on the loose ball and chipped it home into the empty net.
The game started to open up more. Tired legs on United's side, young ones on RSL's. Half chances started appearing, with United more able to exploit the flanks than in the first half, though RSL won a series of corners.
2-1 United (Moreno): What's with the corner kick goals? Somebody (Cristman?) rose to meet a Quaranta corner, headed it down towards the far post, and Moreno deflected it home.
RSL had a few more chances, the best coming late on with Perkins able to get in the way of a tight-angle chance.
Chippy game. Few chances. Just win baby?
Talking Points
* The formation looked much like I expected given the pre-season match reports thus far...
... Morsink sat behind the the three higher mids, with Quaranta having free reign to make marauding runs forward. Moreno tended to drop deep while Allsopp sat waiting on the shoulder of the last defender (where was Pontius?). I liked that we're pressing higher and with more energy when the opposition in is possession, though I thought were were maybe too eager to get the ball forward in the first half. The second demonstrated better patience and more coherent attacking play, allowing us to create more width in attack. Between Pena (if he signs) and Jakovic we may have the best ball-handling pair of center backs in the league.
* On the subject of Pena. He looked to be struggling with the RSL attackers' pace early (though, to be fair, Findley and Espindola are among the quickest in MLS), but after some initial struggles, settled nicely. I lost count of how many times we caught them offsides, though whether that's due to over-eager RSL attackers or good coordination between Pena and Jakovic is debatable.
* Quaranta in the attacking midfield role is going to be a project. I love his runs when he breaks from the middle (see: our first goal), but he just doesn't have the patience to play-make. His first instinct is to blast away from distance. His second is to hit a killer ball that might not be on.
* Likewise, Wallace is going to be a project at left back. He commits way too many fouls, gets caught with the ball in bad positions, and too often resorts to the hopeless long ball. Of course, maybe he's just basing his play on what he saw from Burch last year (zing!). But you have to balance the bad with the good. When he overlaps on the left flank, he does so with speed and hits an inviting low, driven ball.
* Old Man Moreno. So he had two goals and an audacious bit of trickery to lift a ball up to himself for a volleyed cross, but too often he was caught dallying with the ball. Is it a concern that the team seems to want to play at a higher pace while he wants to slow things down, or does the juxtaposition of that patience with the "hurry up" nature of the rest of the team confuse defenses? This jury's still out for me, but I find it frustrating that I want Tino to slow down and Moreno to speed up.
* Najar is a good little player. He did more at the right mid spot than Barklage did, and generally looked eager for the ball and willing to take guys on. A highlight? Beating three guys on the dribble before racing off down the right flank.
So, we played their starters pretty even and trailed to a questionable PK, but managed to beat their scrubs by a couple most of our starters still on the field. (shrug) It's pre-season. Still, you like that the guys managed to come from behind, and the second half was certainly a more impressive display than the first.
Anybody else catch the stream?
Roster Reset | Refined Sugar for the Coffee Pot
United is back in the States, ready to kick off the Carolina Challenge Cup, but a couple of trialists got lost on the way back from Mexico. Jermaine Taylor's long-awaited trial came to an abrupt end, and Daniel Wasson's extended run has finally fizzled out. Reading our favored tea leaves again says that perhaps (1) Taylor just wasn't good enough, (2) Taylor was still carrying an injury, or (3) Pena is the Mivdun messiah. As for Wasson? Either he's not better than DiRaimondo or he won't take Dev Dollars. Either way, not a huge loss.
Time to update the list. This time, however, I'm going to throw in a new feature by highlighting who I think are the bubble-boys, arranged as follows...
Almost a lock
In the mix
Outside, looking in
Senior Roster
1. Josh Wicks, GK2. Troy Perkins, GK3. (I) Julius James, D4. Lawson Vaughn, D - third choice right back at the moment; worth a senior spot?5. Marc Burch, D6. (I) Dejan Jakovic, D7. Bryan Namoff, D8. Devon McTavish, D/M - versatility is key; can play central or right in midfield and defense9. Rodney Wallace, D/M10. (I) Cristian Castillo, M11. Kurt Morsink, M12. Danny Szetela, M13. Clyde Simms, M14. (I) Tiyiselani Shipalane, M/F - speed and flair bring something different; does he have more potential than Boyzzz?15. Chris Pontius, M/F16. Santino Quaranta, M/F17. (I) Thabiso Khumalo, M/F - quick, hard-working; not the most reliable finisher; one of he or Shipalane would seem to be surplus18. Adam Cristman, F19. Jaime Moreno, F20. (I) Danny Allsopp, F
Developmental Roster
1. (GA) Bill Hamid, GK2. Jordan Graye, D - hasn't been dismissed yet, but we haven't heard much about him either3. Brandon Barklage, M - only question is whether he gets a senior spot or not4. John DiRaimondo, M - Morsink's arrival pushes him further down the depth chart
Trialists
1. Andrew Quinn, GK - is he even still with the team?2. (I?) Lyle Adams, D - hasn't forced his way past Vaughn yet, will he settle for Dev Dollars?4. (I) Juan Manuel Pena, D - I want to say it's a lock, but we don't know salary demands yet or how impressive he was in a single half of play in Mexico3. (I) Quiarol Arzu, D - Honduran youth national teamer, awaiting judgement after his trial
6. Daniel Woolard, D - almost a lock if he wants Dev Dollars; if he wants a senior deal?5. Barry Rice, D - not many spots open, but we might have room for a project center back
7. Andy Najar, M/F - would be "outside," but got called back in for the Carolina Cup; possible GenAd deal?
GA = Generation Adidas
I = requires international roster spot, maximum of 8 internationals on final roster [Cristman trade leaves us with 7 spots]
We'll know more in the next week as we see the lineups that Onalfo runs out in the Carolina Challenge Cup. The questions that need to be answered, remembering that Burch will likely start on the inactive list, giving us one free senior roster spot at the moment:
(1) Does Pena still have the legs and the desire? Smarts and ability are not in question, but his salary demands might be. Still, given the promises of veteran defensive help from the FO and our sorry lack of central defensive depth, how much is too much to pay for class? Seeing him against MLS opposition this week should provide a good measure of his worth.
(2) Can Namoff go? If Namoff is healthy, that changes the equation. If McTavish is your first right back option off the bench, do you really need another right back on the senior roster (Vaughn)? That would seem to open the door for either (a) Barklage to get bumped to a senior deal or (b) Woolard to sign on as left back depth (assuming he's not willing to settle for a dev spot). Likewise, the dev roster might have two open spots rather than one for the survivors of the Rice-Adams-Graye battle.
(3) Do we really need both Boyzzz and Shipalane? Both would seem to provide a similar sort of depth on the wings and up top. Might one of them make way for Barklage getting a senior deal?
(4) How far down the depth chart is DiRaimondo? Wasson was his competition for deep-lying midfield depth, but with Simms and Morsink being 1-2, and Szetela and McTavish and maybe Barklage capable of providing cover here, do we really need the likes of DiRaimondo?
(5) How serious are we about Najar? Assuming DiRaimondo is surplus to requirements, Barklage gets a bump, and we carry only two of Rice-Adams-Graye on the dev roster, that leaves another dev spot open. The kid's been called back in for the Cup, which could just be a matter of getting him more exposure... or it could be a test to see if he might be ready to make the jump.
Wonder if we'll ever find out when the roster compliance deadline got pushed back to?
Sneak Peek
Following on from yesterday's discussion of how we're lining up this year, we now have some (admittedly truncated, from early in the match, and not particularly high quality) video evidence. Head on over to Behind the Badge to watch or just plow on ahead with what I took from the video.
As I speculated yesterday, we look to be playing 4-1-3-2 with Castillo-Quaranta-Barklage a narrow midfield trio playing ahead of a dedicated d-mid (Morsink). The width is being provided primarily by forwards and overlapping fullbacks, and Moreno and Quaranta both seem to have license to roam: Moreno often dropping deep to find the ball or cover Quaranta as the latter makes runs into the forward space. I'm assuming we'll play a bit wider at home or against less technical opposition.
Defensively, the formation looked compact and organized. A few balls over the top caused moments of danger, but I would expect that from a mix-and-match back line without any playing experience together. On the attacking side of the ball, United didn't seem to be moving the ball particularly quickly or effectively, but I'll chalk that up to (1) pre-season and (2) this being the early moments of the game.
Corner kick goal? Looks like Castillo will be contributing on set pieces as well.
As I speculated yesterday, we look to be playing 4-1-3-2 with Castillo-Quaranta-Barklage a narrow midfield trio playing ahead of a dedicated d-mid (Morsink). The width is being provided primarily by forwards and overlapping fullbacks, and Moreno and Quaranta both seem to have license to roam: Moreno often dropping deep to find the ball or cover Quaranta as the latter makes runs into the forward space. I'm assuming we'll play a bit wider at home or against less technical opposition.
Defensively, the formation looked compact and organized. A few balls over the top caused moments of danger, but I would expect that from a mix-and-match back line without any playing experience together. On the attacking side of the ball, United didn't seem to be moving the ball particularly quickly or effectively, but I'll chalk that up to (1) pre-season and (2) this being the early moments of the game.
Corner kick goal? Looks like Castillo will be contributing on set pieces as well.
Reading Friendly Tea Leaves
This isn't quite a Roster Reset post, but it does make use of the current list, so I encourage you to read the latest if you're not caught up already.
So we're scoring some goals against big-time opposition in pre-season. Letting in a couple as well, but hell, it's in Mexico, right? Anyway, glancing over the lineups, we can make a few assumptions and guesses, as well as raise a few questions, about the current state of the roster. I imagine we lined up something like this...
...though the second half probably saw DiRaimondo sit deep next to Wasson with Khumalo and Shipalane advanced on the wings. Likewise, I wouldn't have been shocked if Castillo-Quaranta-Barklage played in front of a dedicated destroyer (Morsink) in a 4-1-3-2 in the first half, but we'll need to see video evidence of how the team is playing before I make that call. So, what talking points do we draw from this?
(1) Assuming a healthy, motivated Szetela is a starter (or at least challenging for a starting spot) on this team, where does he fit in? Given that Simms/Morsink will probably go at d-mid, and all signs point to Tino in attacking midfield, I think he probably gets shuffled out to the right, though he'd be an option in the middle if Tino goes down.
(2) Barklage is high on the depth chart. Injuries are going to happen. With Barklage able to slot in pretty much anywhere in midfield, and Onalfo's starting of him here suggesting that he's one of the first off the bench, I think he's made the team. The question is, does he do so on the senior or developmental roster? Given that he started over Shipalane (who currently holds a senior roster spot), you'd expect he'd be making the jump up, perhaps at Shipalane's expense.
(3) McTavish seems to have the edge over Vaughn as cover for Namoff, given that he played with the first team. I can't really see us carrying three right backs on the senior roster, though that assumes Namoff returns and McTavish isn't the first option off the bench in central defense (which he is on the current roster of signed players...sigh).
(4) Woolard getting the call at left back could just be the staff getting a look at him in action so they can make the call on whether he continues in camp over Graye/Adams, or it could be a signal that none of the other fullback options are making a solid case. At 25, he's still eligible for Dev Dollars, but at this point in his career, he may (rightly) be looking for a better wage.
(5) Pena jumping right in with the first team indicates to me that this is a serious trial and not just a courtesy, and that he's been relatively sharp in training. Has the Mivdun finally arrived?
(6) I wonder why Hamid didn't get any time. I'm guessing Perkins playing the whole match was to get him better integrated with his defenders (he hasn't had the time with them in game action that Hamid has thus far in the pre-season).
So where does that leave the roster?
Burch will be on the inactive list to start the season, allowing the signing of Pena or Taylor (or Arzu if we can't agree to terms or are not impressed by the other two). The rest is really going to depend upon who is willing to take Dev Dollars. I would expect that Barklage would be bumped to the senior roster, displacing Vaughn or Shipalane. If we can grab Woolard on Dev Dollars at the back, I expect he'll edge out Adams and Graye.
With one of Wasson or DiRaimondo taking a Dev spot as midfield depth (assuming Wasson will settle for the Dev roster and Barklage makes the jump), that leaves one (if Woolard signs) or two spots available that Rice, Graye, and Adams are fighting over (assuming Najar is targeted for a mid-year GenAd signing, a la Hamid last summer). Hard to say who has the edge there.
Thoughts?
So we're scoring some goals against big-time opposition in pre-season. Letting in a couple as well, but hell, it's in Mexico, right? Anyway, glancing over the lineups, we can make a few assumptions and guesses, as well as raise a few questions, about the current state of the roster. I imagine we lined up something like this...
...though the second half probably saw DiRaimondo sit deep next to Wasson with Khumalo and Shipalane advanced on the wings. Likewise, I wouldn't have been shocked if Castillo-Quaranta-Barklage played in front of a dedicated destroyer (Morsink) in a 4-1-3-2 in the first half, but we'll need to see video evidence of how the team is playing before I make that call. So, what talking points do we draw from this?
(1) Assuming a healthy, motivated Szetela is a starter (or at least challenging for a starting spot) on this team, where does he fit in? Given that Simms/Morsink will probably go at d-mid, and all signs point to Tino in attacking midfield, I think he probably gets shuffled out to the right, though he'd be an option in the middle if Tino goes down.
(2) Barklage is high on the depth chart. Injuries are going to happen. With Barklage able to slot in pretty much anywhere in midfield, and Onalfo's starting of him here suggesting that he's one of the first off the bench, I think he's made the team. The question is, does he do so on the senior or developmental roster? Given that he started over Shipalane (who currently holds a senior roster spot), you'd expect he'd be making the jump up, perhaps at Shipalane's expense.
(3) McTavish seems to have the edge over Vaughn as cover for Namoff, given that he played with the first team. I can't really see us carrying three right backs on the senior roster, though that assumes Namoff returns and McTavish isn't the first option off the bench in central defense (which he is on the current roster of signed players...sigh).
(4) Woolard getting the call at left back could just be the staff getting a look at him in action so they can make the call on whether he continues in camp over Graye/Adams, or it could be a signal that none of the other fullback options are making a solid case. At 25, he's still eligible for Dev Dollars, but at this point in his career, he may (rightly) be looking for a better wage.
(5) Pena jumping right in with the first team indicates to me that this is a serious trial and not just a courtesy, and that he's been relatively sharp in training. Has the Mivdun finally arrived?
(6) I wonder why Hamid didn't get any time. I'm guessing Perkins playing the whole match was to get him better integrated with his defenders (he hasn't had the time with them in game action that Hamid has thus far in the pre-season).
So where does that leave the roster?
Burch will be on the inactive list to start the season, allowing the signing of Pena or Taylor (or Arzu if we can't agree to terms or are not impressed by the other two). The rest is really going to depend upon who is willing to take Dev Dollars. I would expect that Barklage would be bumped to the senior roster, displacing Vaughn or Shipalane. If we can grab Woolard on Dev Dollars at the back, I expect he'll edge out Adams and Graye.
With one of Wasson or DiRaimondo taking a Dev spot as midfield depth (assuming Wasson will settle for the Dev roster and Barklage makes the jump), that leaves one (if Woolard signs) or two spots available that Rice, Graye, and Adams are fighting over (assuming Najar is targeted for a mid-year GenAd signing, a la Hamid last summer). Hard to say who has the edge there.
Thoughts?
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