As the game went on, we were pelted with anything you can imagine. At one point I was hit with a blowup sex doll. My friends were hit with coins, bottles, and beer. One of the USA fans in our section got hit with a bottle flung in from who knows where and turned to a security guard to complain about the lack of action, the security guard stood up on a higher seat, towered over the man and screamed “Turn around and watch the fucking game!” I wish I was exaggerating, but I’m not. Turning and looking up at the crowd all I could see between things flying at my head, were fights. I witnessed a USA fan walk past our section, face bloodied, barely walking, as if he was in a war zone trying to get his self to safety.Ugh. More at The Sack Lunch.
Pathetic
The Best Laid Plans...
So I was part of the way though prepping a series of posts on probable moves for DC United in the summer transfer window when…
Boom goes my post series.
Hmmm. The best laid plans of mice and fullbacks, eh? Instead of tossing out the whole thing, let me just post what would have been the key conclusions in that series and look at how the moves for De Rosario and McDonald address (or don’t address) what I saw as the outstanding needs for United at the midway point.
3 Missing Links
The conceit of my post series was a look at what three upgrades United could make that would have the biggest impact on the roster and what moves they could make to get there. The latter was covered by the already concluded moves that saw Fred and Brasesco leaving as well as a proposal to get rid of Ngwenya, who makes takes up far too much cap space considering (a) Brettschneider has effectively relegated him to #4 on the forward depth chart and (b) his touch is a crime against humanity.
With those moves adding to presumably existing cap room1, I made the argument that we could reasonably expect to acquire two starting-quality players and another one or two for depth if needed. Priorities would be as follows…
Midfield steel. I have questions at the back and up top, but the biggest failing in my mind was a featherweight midfield that didn’t have the strength, dynamism, and tactical nous to consistently close down and break up attacks that were shredding our back line, even with two sitting deep.
An idea man. Though Najar and Pontius are dangerous on the wings and we have an array of useful forwards, there was no dot-connecter, no danger-man that put defenses on their heels by threading passes or racing through gaps from deep, either with or without the ball. McCarty, King, and Simms were not getting the job done from midfield, and Wolff, though he has his moments, can’t always make2 the springing pass when dropping deep.
Back line depth. With Brasesco sent packing, we were left with three center backs, and the only non-rookie is on the shelf. Though Zayner and Woolard could cover the middle in a pinch, that’s not ideal. While Zayner, if healthy, looks to be a good option on the right, our options on the left are USL-quality Woolard and the perpetually dinged3 Burch. Considering the youth/inexperience of the back line, any move that would bring an steady organizing presence would be a bonus.
McDepth or McDestroyer?
So where does Brandon McDonald fit in? He’s played as both center back and hard-man in midfield. He is an immediate answer to #3, both because he provides a fourth center back, and one with experience and reasonable reading of the game to boot, while simultaneously freeing Kitchen as cover on the right should he be needed there (perhaps pushing Zayner to the left?). I have my fingers crossed for a real option at left back, but I’m not holding my breath given the FO’s mysterious attachment to Burch.
Likewise, McDonald provides a partial answer to the midfield steel question either on his own or by freeing Kitchen to do so. While I don’t see either as an ideal or complete solution there, the options are better now. Do I still hold out hope that there might be another move or an international signing that could fill what I see as the biggest hole? Not really, but then again, I don’t have any first-hand evidence yet what Kitchen might do in such a role.
What Happens Up Top?
The potentially more interesting question is what Olsen does with De Rosario. The assembled nabobs of internet punditry say a diamond four in midfield with De Rosario at the point behind Davies and one of the supporting-striker cast. I’m not so sure. Such tactics would require our otherwise excellent wide attacking options, Najar and Pontius, to provide more defensive cover. It would also require a single d-mid to provide steel and bite in a midfield that I already complained was weak in that department.
Might McDonald or Kitchen do better than the likes of Simms, McCarty, and King? Probably. But I’m not sure they’d be that much more effective in isolation than the current two-deep set. The argument could be mounted, of course, that on the other end we would be forcing opposition midfields deeper to counter the additional threat ours carried with the mobile and threatening De Rosario. Personally, I’d be more interested in seeing De Rosario play as a trequartista off a lone striker, given free reign to go where he can to do the most damage, whether that be on the flanks when a winger cuts in, deeper in midfield to pick passes, or sitting just off the striker, but I know I’m in the minority.
Conclusions
With two moves, United’s FO has addressed some of the weaknesses that I (and presumably they) see on this roster. Given De Rosario’s hefty cap figure, I wonder how much is left in the bag to go after a third piece to the puzzle. And, if there is room left under the cap, what are they looking for? A real left back or dynamic midfield backstop, one would hope, though one would probably then be disappointed.
What’s confusing to me is the apparent contradiction in roster-building. DC United 2011 has largely been about the youth movement. I, and others, have been working under the assumption that Olsen was building a core of young players that would take the team forward. They’d challenge for a playoff spot this year, but the next few years were the real payoff.
Which makes these latest two signings, neither of which looks like a long-term move, so puzzling. McDonald is relatively young, but casting his eyes Europe-ward when his contract runs out this winter. De Rosario is on the far side of his peak years and declining. Both are moves intended to push for silverware now rather than later. But is the rest of this squad ready for that?
More likely there is a middle path here. The core-building project proceeds apace, but maybe adding a little veteran spice in the right areas and catching fire at the right time might prove a potent blend that could take advantage of the league’s parity a provide some form of immediate success, breeding further success by giving the youngsters a taste for (and experience of) the stuff. I suppose much depends upon the fickle winds of injury and form as well as the possibility that Kasper, Payne, et al are not done shopping. As it stands, I think we’re top-heavy, but at least the score-lines should be exciting even if the points haul is not.
Based on media comments from the FO. ↩
That should probably read: rarely makes the springing pass. He does work hard, coming deep to get the ball, and the gaps are there to be exploited, but more often than not the ball is too soft or behind the runner, killing attacks before they have time to flower. ↩
I leave it as an exercise for the reader to determine if a healthy Burch is really an asset or if it’s better for the back line that he’s always injured. ↩
Perception
Benny says...
I just thought overall our energy wasn’t great tonight.But Charlie says...
It’s a game where I think we worked extremely hard.And Pontius says...
We worked very hardHmmm.
Thoughts on USA v. Mexico
Rather than let this wait till morning, I thought I'd just float a single, rambling thought while the game is fresh in the memory...
Great game. Great final. The better team won and the hex is lifted. Old Mexico would have gone down 2-0 and proceeded to self-destruct. New Mexico played their game and deserved to win because of it. The balance of power has shifted (back) in the region.
Congrats to Mexico.
...
Afterthought #1: Though he did a couple of useful things in his minutes at the end, you knew that the insertion of Kljestan meant no more goals were coming for the US, didn't you? I hereby christen "Throwing In the Kljestan" as the US Soccer equivalent of boxing's towel.
...
Afterthought #2: To my dying day, I will stand beside that eerie premonitions from the semi-final comment thread and those of Sean's Mexican co-workers mentioned there. In some parallel plane, there's a match where Cherundolo doesn't get hurt and/or Bob doesn't resort to the Bornstein option (a marginally less destructive version of the nuclear option). In this universe, there is no Bornstein-ian gap for the Mexicans to exploit. In this universe, the result happens as intuited.
Fear the Bornstein Effect.
...
Afterthought #3: Hmmm. Just noticed my two afterthoughts center on two of "Bob's boys." You know, the ones who keep getting called in and that he relies upon regardless of form, playing time, previous failures, and the goddamn evidence that sits in a steaming pile in front of our collective set of eyes?
...
Couldn't just let it go, could I? Still enjoyed the game, despite the result. A new era for CONCACAF now that the Warner-shaped tumor has been removed from the corpus?
Let's hope.
Great game. Great final. The better team won and the hex is lifted. Old Mexico would have gone down 2-0 and proceeded to self-destruct. New Mexico played their game and deserved to win because of it. The balance of power has shifted (back) in the region.
Congrats to Mexico.
...
Afterthought #1: Though he did a couple of useful things in his minutes at the end, you knew that the insertion of Kljestan meant no more goals were coming for the US, didn't you? I hereby christen "Throwing In the Kljestan" as the US Soccer equivalent of boxing's towel.
...
Afterthought #2: To my dying day, I will stand beside that eerie premonitions from the semi-final comment thread and those of Sean's Mexican co-workers mentioned there. In some parallel plane, there's a match where Cherundolo doesn't get hurt and/or Bob doesn't resort to the Bornstein option (a marginally less destructive version of the nuclear option). In this universe, there is no Bornstein-ian gap for the Mexicans to exploit. In this universe, the result happens as intuited.
Fear the Bornstein Effect.
...
Afterthought #3: Hmmm. Just noticed my two afterthoughts center on two of "Bob's boys." You know, the ones who keep getting called in and that he relies upon regardless of form, playing time, previous failures, and the goddamn evidence that sits in a steaming pile in front of our collective set of eyes?
...
Couldn't just let it go, could I? Still enjoyed the game, despite the result. A new era for CONCACAF now that the Warner-shaped tumor has been removed from the corpus?
Let's hope.
Thoughts on DC United v. Houston
If you can't decide whether to be thankful there was at least a point earned or whether you should be screaming obscenities to the heavens, you're not alone. The answer, of course, is that you should be doing both in equal measure.
Welcome to DC United 2011: Back to the Mean. Ugh.
Some quick thoughts before I settle in for the Gold Cup final.
* I know Charlie did his ankle and needed to be subbed out, but this DC United's only defense is to keep attacking. Ben can't bunker, maybe not even with a multi-goal lead. Rongen was quick to criticize Brettschneider for not keeping the ball in the corner, though he also took pains to point out that the transition that followed wasn't Blake's fault. True enough. Brettschneider was the only man ahead of the ball when Houston started moving upfield. Yet somehow Houston ended up with numbers in the box, a crosser who wasn't closed down, and an unmarked Brian Ching laughing with disbelief that no one could be bothered to mark him, much less challenge him as the cross drifted onto the killing zone of his noggin.
* Problem #1: Defending crosses and runners cutting in from the wings. My 8-year-old daughter was shouting "get tighter, close him down" right along with me after a number of unchallenged crosses and runners either coming in off the wing or lumbering through the middle without challenge. It's one thing to stand off a tricksy winger, but Brian Ching? On the dribble? Oy vey! Note to United fullbacks and wide midfielders: it's a lot easier for the men in the middle to defend crosses if the crossers are challenged in some small way.
* Problem #2: The featherweight midfield. If the salary cap space isn't spent this summer on somebody with range and tackling ability for the center of midfield, I hold out little hope for a playoff spot. We may be pretty good on the ball in the middle (credit to Fred for a decent performance off the bench and to McCarty for managing not to look terrible on the ball), but I'll simply present one moment that demonstrates the problem in spades. Brad Davis. Brad freakin' Davis! Waltzes through challenges by both McCarty and Simms, left sprawling in his wake in the center circle. Brad freakin' Davis. Pathetic.
* Problem #3: Organization. It's there when the game is settled and the opposition isn't pushing with numbers or conviction. But when the heat gets turned up, suddenly guys are scrambling, losing marks, uncertain whether to commit to the ball or to keep an eye on runners. It's almost inevitable that chances are going to come, and United were lucky on a handful of occasions before Ching finally got that second goal. Another reason leads are tricky for United to defend.
* All of that said, I'd like to know what the ref had against Brettschneider. I mean, there were others who suffered a number of fouls that weren't called, and on both sides (this is MLS after all), but Brettschneider seemed to be penalized for daring to fling himself about with abandon and succeed. He would win balls, get knocked down, and the ref would turn away. Half a dozen times at least. Maybe if this ignored hold-up play isn't ignored, there aren't so many breaks or so many chances at the other end for the defense to make a mess of.
* Credit to the attack for creating a good number of chances though I'm still not sold on the Wolff-Davies attack. I think they're both better working off of a burly, Brettschneider type and don't seem to complement each other well. They may arguably be the two best United forwards (though I would argue otherwise, but we'll leave that for later), but not when they're deployed together.
Quick hits?
* Quality from the wings. Pontius with the strike to open, Najar with the dancing to close.
* No more Dax taking set pieces please.
* Softish PK, but we should be to last to complain in that department at the moment.
* Need to find consistency. Good in 10-15 minute spurts, but need to sustain that level of play and concentration, particularly at home, particularly coming out of the half and in the last 15 minutes.
Okay, time to start prepping for the second half of the double-header. I'll be back tomorrow morning with a reaction post to the Gold Cup final. Assuming, of course, no repeat of the last time we held this cross-border soiree. Might take me a bit longer to crawl out from whatever convenient rock presents itself if the US goes down in similar flames tonight.
Welcome to DC United 2011: Back to the Mean. Ugh.
Some quick thoughts before I settle in for the Gold Cup final.
* I know Charlie did his ankle and needed to be subbed out, but this DC United's only defense is to keep attacking. Ben can't bunker, maybe not even with a multi-goal lead. Rongen was quick to criticize Brettschneider for not keeping the ball in the corner, though he also took pains to point out that the transition that followed wasn't Blake's fault. True enough. Brettschneider was the only man ahead of the ball when Houston started moving upfield. Yet somehow Houston ended up with numbers in the box, a crosser who wasn't closed down, and an unmarked Brian Ching laughing with disbelief that no one could be bothered to mark him, much less challenge him as the cross drifted onto the killing zone of his noggin.
* Problem #1: Defending crosses and runners cutting in from the wings. My 8-year-old daughter was shouting "get tighter, close him down" right along with me after a number of unchallenged crosses and runners either coming in off the wing or lumbering through the middle without challenge. It's one thing to stand off a tricksy winger, but Brian Ching? On the dribble? Oy vey! Note to United fullbacks and wide midfielders: it's a lot easier for the men in the middle to defend crosses if the crossers are challenged in some small way.
* Problem #2: The featherweight midfield. If the salary cap space isn't spent this summer on somebody with range and tackling ability for the center of midfield, I hold out little hope for a playoff spot. We may be pretty good on the ball in the middle (credit to Fred for a decent performance off the bench and to McCarty for managing not to look terrible on the ball), but I'll simply present one moment that demonstrates the problem in spades. Brad Davis. Brad freakin' Davis! Waltzes through challenges by both McCarty and Simms, left sprawling in his wake in the center circle. Brad freakin' Davis. Pathetic.
* Problem #3: Organization. It's there when the game is settled and the opposition isn't pushing with numbers or conviction. But when the heat gets turned up, suddenly guys are scrambling, losing marks, uncertain whether to commit to the ball or to keep an eye on runners. It's almost inevitable that chances are going to come, and United were lucky on a handful of occasions before Ching finally got that second goal. Another reason leads are tricky for United to defend.
* All of that said, I'd like to know what the ref had against Brettschneider. I mean, there were others who suffered a number of fouls that weren't called, and on both sides (this is MLS after all), but Brettschneider seemed to be penalized for daring to fling himself about with abandon and succeed. He would win balls, get knocked down, and the ref would turn away. Half a dozen times at least. Maybe if this ignored hold-up play isn't ignored, there aren't so many breaks or so many chances at the other end for the defense to make a mess of.
* Credit to the attack for creating a good number of chances though I'm still not sold on the Wolff-Davies attack. I think they're both better working off of a burly, Brettschneider type and don't seem to complement each other well. They may arguably be the two best United forwards (though I would argue otherwise, but we'll leave that for later), but not when they're deployed together.
Quick hits?
* Quality from the wings. Pontius with the strike to open, Najar with the dancing to close.
* No more Dax taking set pieces please.
* Softish PK, but we should be to last to complain in that department at the moment.
* Need to find consistency. Good in 10-15 minute spurts, but need to sustain that level of play and concentration, particularly at home, particularly coming out of the half and in the last 15 minutes.
Okay, time to start prepping for the second half of the double-header. I'll be back tomorrow morning with a reaction post to the Gold Cup final. Assuming, of course, no repeat of the last time we held this cross-border soiree. Might take me a bit longer to crawl out from whatever convenient rock presents itself if the US goes down in similar flames tonight.
Positive Feedback Loop | Thoughts on USA v. Panama
What an abominable game to watch. Though the US held the advantage for long stretches, Panama probably looked a touch more dangerous when they did come forward. Both sides, however, largely negated each other to make for some terribly dull viewing. The referee, not content to let 30 seconds pass without tooting on his whistle, only made things worse by killing any semblance of flow. with a bewildering array of foul calls that seemed little different from the stuff he let go.
Some quick thoughts before I head off to watch Mexico v. Honduras...
* There was no early defensive frailty as against Guadeloupe and Jamaica, which was a positive. Good thing too, as an early goal might have been too much for this lot to overcome, particularly if Panama packed things in even more. Still, the wobbles towards the end were worrying. Not that balls in the air should be much of a problem against Mexico (there I go, making assumptions...), but quick attackers buzzing about certainly will be. We didn't deal too well with those either.
* Hard to imagine a more pathetic figure than Kljestan, or, as I'm now dubbing him, "Possession Concession Kljestan." Rolls right off the tongue doesn't it? No distribution wide or forward, constantly losing the ball. Maybe he would be more effective deeper, but playing the central role between lone attacker and the Jones-Bradley pivot, he was miserable. That said, Donovan cut a similarly miserable picture before pushing wide to let Dempsey have his shot in the middle. Even Clint had only marginal success before...
* Holy crap, it's Freddy freakin' Adu! No minutes thus far in the tournament, playing second division ball in Turkey, and Bob brings him on to save the day. I'll admit that I shouted "WTF, Bob?" at the screen as the numbers flashed and Adu came on for Agudelo. But, and much as it pains me to say this considering he ran out a lame starting lineup again, Bob made the right choice (though looking at his bench, he had precious few others). Freddy changed the game for the US, providing not only an outlet in the a-mid spot, but one that knew what to do with the ball moving in a positive direction, particularly in setting up...
* The winner. All credit to Dempsey for a great far post run, hugging the line created by the defender at the other side of the six. All credit to Donovan for a terrific splitting ball to find that run. Hell, let's even shovel some credit the way of the linesman for keeping his flag down; CONCACAF refs haven't been covering themselves in glory thus far (or ever, I suppose). But that goal only happens because of Freddy having the vision and skill to find the ball that set Donovan on his way. Can you imagine Kljestan's first look being the diagonal outlet to space on the wing? Me neither. And how about the vision Adu displayed in picking out runs from the deeper holders through the middle? And the running with the ball?
Freddy Adu. Game-changer. Been a while since we've heard that one, eh?
Though I didn't expect it to be Freddy who proved this point, there is a certain logical inevitability about it. Bob wants to play with the double holders, leaving six back and a mobile four in attack with bursting runs from deep when warranted. That style of play, so common now on the international stage amongst the more accomplished sides, doesn't require big, physical players in attack, it requires buzzing, technical types. It also requires a string puller to set those buzzing types on their way.
I'd assumed Dempsey or Donovan (though particularly the latter), would fill this role, maybe Holden when he returns. But Donovan proved exactly what I've been harping on about in my reactions lately. He's not a game-taker-over any more. He's a complementary sort now. You can't plop him in the spot Freddy was in and expect him to walk on water. But give him quality to feed off of and he'll echo the quality in a positive feedback loop.
I still can't believe that quality has "Adu" across its back.
Wonder what Bob does for the final? One thing's for certain: if Kljestan starts, I say sack him at halftime.
Okay, off to see who we'll be facing in the final...
Some quick thoughts before I head off to watch Mexico v. Honduras...
* There was no early defensive frailty as against Guadeloupe and Jamaica, which was a positive. Good thing too, as an early goal might have been too much for this lot to overcome, particularly if Panama packed things in even more. Still, the wobbles towards the end were worrying. Not that balls in the air should be much of a problem against Mexico (there I go, making assumptions...), but quick attackers buzzing about certainly will be. We didn't deal too well with those either.
* Hard to imagine a more pathetic figure than Kljestan, or, as I'm now dubbing him, "Possession Concession Kljestan." Rolls right off the tongue doesn't it? No distribution wide or forward, constantly losing the ball. Maybe he would be more effective deeper, but playing the central role between lone attacker and the Jones-Bradley pivot, he was miserable. That said, Donovan cut a similarly miserable picture before pushing wide to let Dempsey have his shot in the middle. Even Clint had only marginal success before...
* Holy crap, it's Freddy freakin' Adu! No minutes thus far in the tournament, playing second division ball in Turkey, and Bob brings him on to save the day. I'll admit that I shouted "WTF, Bob?" at the screen as the numbers flashed and Adu came on for Agudelo. But, and much as it pains me to say this considering he ran out a lame starting lineup again, Bob made the right choice (though looking at his bench, he had precious few others). Freddy changed the game for the US, providing not only an outlet in the a-mid spot, but one that knew what to do with the ball moving in a positive direction, particularly in setting up...
* The winner. All credit to Dempsey for a great far post run, hugging the line created by the defender at the other side of the six. All credit to Donovan for a terrific splitting ball to find that run. Hell, let's even shovel some credit the way of the linesman for keeping his flag down; CONCACAF refs haven't been covering themselves in glory thus far (or ever, I suppose). But that goal only happens because of Freddy having the vision and skill to find the ball that set Donovan on his way. Can you imagine Kljestan's first look being the diagonal outlet to space on the wing? Me neither. And how about the vision Adu displayed in picking out runs from the deeper holders through the middle? And the running with the ball?
Freddy Adu. Game-changer. Been a while since we've heard that one, eh?
Though I didn't expect it to be Freddy who proved this point, there is a certain logical inevitability about it. Bob wants to play with the double holders, leaving six back and a mobile four in attack with bursting runs from deep when warranted. That style of play, so common now on the international stage amongst the more accomplished sides, doesn't require big, physical players in attack, it requires buzzing, technical types. It also requires a string puller to set those buzzing types on their way.
I'd assumed Dempsey or Donovan (though particularly the latter), would fill this role, maybe Holden when he returns. But Donovan proved exactly what I've been harping on about in my reactions lately. He's not a game-taker-over any more. He's a complementary sort now. You can't plop him in the spot Freddy was in and expect him to walk on water. But give him quality to feed off of and he'll echo the quality in a positive feedback loop.
I still can't believe that quality has "Adu" across its back.
Wonder what Bob does for the final? One thing's for certain: if Kljestan starts, I say sack him at halftime.
Okay, off to see who we'll be facing in the final...
For Shame
Man of the Match?
For shame, United "fans." For shame.
Embellishment? Selling it? Unrepentant.
I, for one, am not buying, and not solely as a card-carrying member of the Fullbacks Union.
For shame.
For shame, United "fans." For shame.
Embellishment? Selling it? Unrepentant.
I, for one, am not buying, and not solely as a card-carrying member of the Fullbacks Union.
For shame.
Defined by Diving | Thoughts on the Weekend's Matches
I watched quite a bit of soccer over Father’s Day weekend and was pleased to see the two teams I follow most closely get results. Sadly however, I’m left with a sour taste in my mouth and very little time to do full reaction posts. Instead, I’ll slam a couple together and bind them with the one central theme that dominated the two most important matches (to me, anyway). I suppose you know what’s coming from the title of this post…
The Plunge
On balance, United probably just about deserved a point away to RSL. They were on top in the opening stages and large portions of the second half, maintaining possession without looking particularly lethal. But the same charge of impotence could be leveled at RSL when they were in the ascendency, which was a welcome change after shipping four last week. On the other end, Pontius hit the bar twice and the tale of the stats makes for pretty level reading.
But the Davies plunge over Chris Wingert’s leg?
Shameful. I mean, I know that strikers are paid to get goals, that skirting the bounds of the rules is accepted practice in the game, and that the results-first, by fair means or foul mentality is the dominant one.
Doesn’t make it any more palatable.
I understand it’s part of the game, but it’s not a part I’m fond of. I’ll take the point and appreciate Charlie’s general hustle in pursuit of lost causes as well as the PK finish, but that doesn’t mean I have to feel good about it, particularly since this isn’t his first such incident.
Some other quick points…
It shows that United have been devoting time to set pieces on both ends. Not sexy or glamorous by any stretch, but an edge that middle of the pack scrappers need in the pursuit of points.
Gratified to see that United didn’t bunker on the road after grabbing the equalizer1. They had chances down the stretch to take all three points.
The back line is young and often positionally suspect, but I think they’re being unnecessarily exposed by a lack of midfield bite in front of them.
Vaughn bites both ways. I thought the RSL PK was correct (stupid place for Simms to be diving into a tackle anyway), but Jean Alexander probably could have been dealt red for leaving the boot in on Zayner. Did Vaughn even whistle that as a foul?
The Mystery Sniper
On the national-team front, the US eased past Jamaica and (going on the evidence of the laughable El Salvador v. Panama simulation-fest quarterfinal2) shouldn’t have many issues getting to the final. The performance was better, particularly considering that Donovan didn’t start3 and Altidore limped off after 10 minutes. But, once again, my focus is inexorably drawn to a dive.
Jermaine Jones.
It’s no secret that I’ve been less than thrilled with his outings for the US, reserving special attention for his decision-making. I flirted briefly with appreciating his qualities earlier in the tournament, only to have that appreciation wiped out by subsequent performances. So how then to deal with what was largely an impressive outing where he scored the game winner and sold the red card that saw Jamaica reduced to ten men?
I’m not going to argue that he wasn’t good. Once freed to get forward more (when he and Bradley Jr. figured out they both didn’t have to sit deep as there was no Jamaican midfield presence high and central), he made several bursting runs through the middle and generally looked better by comparison with Bradley Jr., who had an off game passing-wise. These good points were capped by a deflected drive that put the US up 1-0.
But I can’t shake the questions. What the hell was he thinking when he petulantly swiped a Jamaican’s legs to earn his yellow? Worse, imagine if El Vampiro Mexicano had seen that no contact was made on the burst through the middle that ended with him flailing his arms and flopping like a mystery sniper hidden amongst the blue-clad Salvadoran legions had just put a round in his back. Second yellow. The US down to ten. And that’s even ignoring the fact that he was moving clear of the last defender with about 3-4 teammates following his rush towards the Jamaican net.
Decision-making. And I’m still not a fan.
Other quick points…
I generally like, given the roster strengths and weaknesses, starting a five-man midfield with two holders and adjusting as the game progresses, but Kljestan playing the central role has limitations. His first look was consistently back and he carries little threat on the dribble or shooting from distance. I’d like to see Dempsey in that role, getting after defenders, sucking up midfield attention, with the hard-running Bedoya and Donovan exploiting the flanks.
Another poor start with an early goal nearly shipped and Howard to thank for saving the collective bacon. Hmmm.
Defense has been much better since Boca moved to the middle. Still, an abiding image I’ll have is two US players challenging for a ball in the air to, of all people, Dane Richards, missing their headers, and letting the ball drop behind them to the minuscule Richards. Poor.
Took a while to kill the game against ten, which wouldn’t be a problem except that a frustrated and disorganized Jamaica created some danger in that same time period.
Conclusions
Better stuff from both sides, even if the performances were tainted by chicanery. D.C. United continues to make the case for me to buy BackToTheMean.com, while the US had arguably their strongest performance since the second half of the 1-1 draw with Argentina. Am I yet holding out hope for a United playoff spot or US cup win? Tough to be positive in either case, but neither cause is dead yet, so that’s something.
Right?
Sigh.
Good thing too. With a lightweight middle of Dax + Fred, sitting back would have been a disaster. ↩
And that center linesman only added to the farce by making some of the other CONCACAF clowns look downright professional by comparison. ↩
Didn’t I mention last time we danced this dance that playing well without Donovan should be a priority? ↩
Product Review | 8 Bits & Leather Cats For Summer
Thanks once again to the good folks at SoccerPro.com, my admittedly-minimal wardrobe has expanded by a couple of items just in time for summer.
I’ve got a handful of soccer shirts in high rotation, particularly in the summer, and the latest horse in my stable is the Puma Foundation Graphic Line Up Tee, featuring world stars of the game in all their 8-bit goodness1.
I’ve got the holy trio of (I presume) Maradona, Pele, and Cruyff sussed in the middle2. I’m going to go ahead and guess that the guy in the Cameroon strip on the far right is Roger Milla.
But what about the far left? Obviously a keeper (note the long sleeves and gloves), but which? Judging by the color of the kit, the time period, the badge background, and the “features,” all signs point to Peter Shilton. Sort of ironic that he’s next to Maradona, no? Shame the little 8-bit Maradona doesn’t have his hand raised above his noggin…
I’ve also added the Nike5 Gato Leather indoor soccer shoes, though I’ll primarily be using them outdoors as I get my daughter and some of her friends out on the fields in preparation for the fall season3.
Test play around the house and yard indicate that the primary strength of these things is comfort. I don’t get quite as good of a feel for the ball as I do with the (previously reviewed) Nike Air’s4, but grip on grass is significantly better. Comfort and not falling down are pretty big selling points for those of us on the far side of 35.
As, I suppose, are retro-ironic t-shirts. (sigh)
Product(s) for this review were provided to FBF by SoccerPro.com
Remember the days? Weird thing is that there’s a gap in my soccer gaming on the console (well, pretty much all console gaming) from early 90’s Sega stuff to Fifa 2009 on the Wii. Sure I played CM and FM in those gap years, but the odd thing is that these blocky dudes stayed relatively fresh in the memory with no subsequent 16/32/64-bit “enhanced” experience to dilute them. ↩
Though if we’re talking contemporary late 80’s or early 90’s, I’m not sure who the Brazilian is and the Dutchman is probably van Basten, right? ↩
Can’t very well wear studs when practicing with 8- and 9-year-old girls, particularly given that their favorite “drill” is trying to get the ball away from me. Well, I mean, I could wear studs, but I’m not sure I’d be able to avoid toes with 4-6 of their little boots getting stuck in. ↩
I’ve always worn Adidas/Diadora, though I’m starting to appreciate Nike’s efforts in the soccer arena. Still a bit narrow for my peasant trotters, but not bad. ↩
Dempsey's Menagerie | Thoughts on USA v. Guadaloupe
So which was more shocking for you: Clint Dempsey’s menagerie of missed sitters or Bob Bradley finishing the game with Dempsey as his lone striker? It’s not an idle question. My notes, even from early in the first half, mention Dempsey looking heavy-legged and lacking his usual spark. I think it was about a half hour in that I wondered why Bradley hadn’t started the energetic Bedoya, saving Dempsey, coming off a long club season, for emergency sub duty and the latter stages of the tournament.
Lest the argument be raised about the importance of the game to advancing in said tournament and the necessity of playing your experienced, reliable players, I submit the inclusion of Wondolowski and Lichaj1. Those exceptions aside2, might we be seeing signs of the “devil you know” rot that set in during the later stages of the Arena era, the entitlement years?
Let’s adress that and other questions in the talking points…
The difference between the US and those who’ve been posting massive goal tallies in this tournament? Easy. Finishing. Altidore’s marvelous thunderbolt aside, the US should have had at least four, possible as many as six or seven more. That said, not all of those were flubbed finishes; there were a few decent saves mixed in when the US managed to get shots on target. Despite the often disjointed build-up, lack of sharpness on the ball, and failure to exploit free kicks, the US still could have made it to the far side of five. Of course, Guadaloupe isn’t the best measuring stick, but then, some of these massive goal hauls elsewhere have been against similar opposition.
Following on from that point, and, far be it from me to be optimistic, but I sense a familiar pattern. Logically, from what we’ve seen thus far in the Gold Cup, it wouldn’t make much sense to have cause for hope, but isn’t this the sort of tournament we’ve seen before? The US labors mightily, particularly against minnows, while their rivals cruise to gaudy victories, only for the plodding tortoise that is the USMNT to find their tortured way through. Which would be an almighty shame if it happened because then there’s no impetus to change: be it player selection, tactics, or, ultimately, the man responsible for both.
To lighten the mood for a moment, I was happy to see the change that introduced Lichaj in place of Bocanegra on the left flank. As I said in previous reaction posts, I have no problem with Boca at left back when we’re playing superior or roughly equal opposition. In those cases, emphasizing defense or limiting the back line to one fullback who gets forward often would seem to be a sound (if somewhat faint-hearted) tactical choice. But I couldn’t for the life of me understand why Bradley felt the need to use Boca at left back against Canada and Panama. Those are teams we should be looking to dominate, to exploit for width. Exactly as Lichaj did in this match.
On a related note, should we be worried that the greater threat down the flanks were often Lichaj and Cherundolo rather than Dempsey or Donovan, the presumptive wingers? Whether Bradley dictated their pinching in or whether they did it on their own, the fact remains that we get very little width from either3. For Dempsey I can understand this. He’s better pinching in. I suppose Donovan could be if he’d use more of that heralded vision and pace to get after players and slot balls through. Instead, we get another tepid performance in a match where we need the veteran, the supposed best player on the team, to stand up and take charge4. And those set pieces? My kingdom for a Holden!
Let me close with two moments that I think might go somewhat ignored in the larger frustration of Dempsey’s missed chances. Those were were certainly moments upon which the game hung, but these other two could potentially have been larger factors.
The first was yet another stupid, lazy foul by Jermaine Jones that set up an early free kick chance for Guadaloupe that almost morphed into a disastrous start when the corner that followed was pinged off the bar. Despite one fantastic ball to open a sequence that Dempsey ultimately flubbed, I again had the same frustrations I’ve been harping on incessantly when it comes to Jones. He’s a quality player, but I wonder about the commitment and resulting poor decision-making.
The second was Goodson bumping a Guadaloupe striker who would have been in alone on goal early in the match. The referee chose, probably correctly, to wave play on, but I can easily (particularly in a World Cup qualifier away) see that getting called the other way. Red card and 80 or so minutes of playing a man down in a match you need a result from? Not good.
Neither of these events cost us the match, but both could have proved as instrumental, if not more so, than poor finishing. So perhaps there’s a case to be made here that the undoing of this team may be as tied to decision-making without the ball as it is to failing to get it in the net. We shall see…
And, to a lesser extent, Goodson, though he’s more experienced and presumably farther up the pecking order. ↩
Noting, of course, that Lichaj and Wondo were effectively swapped in for the equally inexperienced Ream and Agudelo, so they are perhaps not “exceptions” per se. ↩
Which is one of the primary reasons why I’ve been advocating for attacking fullbacks. ↩
Note that I’m not advocating dropping Donovan, just considering him more of a complementary, rather than cornerstone, type of player. Less a general than a sniper. Time to move past the time where he’s considered essential to the team performing well. ↩
Do Yourself a Favor...
...and go buy Issue #1 of The Blizzard. It's a pay-what-you-like model, and I was suspicious of the £3 (~$5) suggested price for the ePub. But I'm a big fan of Jonathan Wilson, so I took the plunge and feel richly rewarded for doing so, both in the quantity and the quality of the work included. A nice stack of non-time-sensitive soccer/football journalism now sits on my phone, just waiting for those little gaps in the day to appear.
Here Comes the MLS Volley Brigade
Good...
Better...
Best...
And here I thought Brettschneider might be in with a chance for Goal of the Week...
Not enough to dislodge the volley brigade, but still a damn fine goal.
Better...
Best...
And here I thought Brettschneider might be in with a chance for Goal of the Week...
Not enough to dislodge the volley brigade, but still a damn fine goal.
Quick Thoughts on United v. Quakes
Ah, youth. It has its pleasures and it has its pain.
Oh boy does it ever have its pain.
The young defense has had its teething troubles this season, and I was shocked that they managed to shut out LA last week on the road. Looks like they just deferred the inevitable. Three rooks and a USL guy arrayed ahead of a second-year keeper isn’t anybody’s recipe for consistency. It probably doesn’t help that they were maybe a little overconfident after a successful west coast swing to boot.
Still, the biggest problem at the back looked to be organization in dealing with the player dropping off the lone forward into the space between the lines. Whenever a centerback stepped out to deal with this guy (Stephenson or Dawkins), the fullbacks failed to pinch in to close off the spaces the tireless Lenhart was exploiting1. Whenever the centerbacks stayed at home, the central mids2 didn’t deal with the threat effectively either.
Lowlights?
Lenhart and Dawkins going 2 v. 6 and still managing to find a route through a pack of defenders for 2-3. Sigh.
Hamid coming for a ball he’s never going to get, allowing Lenhart to apply the kiss of death at 2-4.
Up until those failures, it was sloppy and open and United were making plenty of mistakes, but they looked just as likely to take something from the game and carried a decent threat going forward. And therein lie some points of positive note.
Simms serving as the fulcrum, switching fields, particularly to Najar, from deep, was a welcome addition. I’ve been pretty down on Clyde this year, but I liked this.
Brettschneider’s goal was a beauty. Great turn. Great finish.
Is Najar the only United player in the last, I don’t know, 3-4 years to make far post runs? He’s knocked home a fair few now and it’s still surprising to see someone in a black shirt turn up in those positions when I’m so used to seeing balls served there dribble harmlessly out of play.
So the big question we’re left is: was this an anomaly or can Olsen and/or experience fix the problems at the back? Every time you either think this season is either going to be (1) written off as a “rebuilding” one or (2) a pleasantly surprising one, the despair or hope gets reined back to the mean. United are a middle of the pack team that will probably be there or thereabouts when it comes to the brawl for the final playoff spots. No more, no less.
Tough night all around3.
Probably didn’t help that Lenhart probably played the game of his career. ↩
The holding pair were playing higher than in the previous two games and making more forward runs as well. I suppose that’s playing at home versus on the road, but maybe Olsen learned that United still need to play with caution and bodies behind the ball lest they get exploited mercilessly. ↩
See the “Quick Thoughts” on the USA-Panama game. ↩
Quick Thoughts on USA v. Panama
There's the embarrassment of sending out a less-than-full-strength side and getting spanked at home by the world champions. And then there's that oh-so familiar feeling to soccer fans the world over of being the superior side, playing well, and yet being victimized by a ref or caught on the break.
C'est le jeu.
Then there's the disgust of seeing a side sloppy and unprepared; slow to every second ball (and first, if we're honest—did you see the number of guys looking for somebody else to make a play on a loose ball?); unable to build coherent attacking play; lacking commitment, effort, and confidence; and generally appearing as if they thought they could sleep-walk through the match and get a result.
Pathetic.
And even with all of that said, there was a late response that nearly snatched a valuable point. Imagine if the effort and sharpness had been there for 90 minutes. Some of that falls on the players. A bigger weight of blame falls on Bob. The hallmark of his teams always used to be being über-prepared but unable to adapt when the match changed tactically.
No so much any more.
Some high(low)-lights?
* Donovan did not look sharp from the run of play early, nor from his set pieces throughout. Sure, the goal did come from a Donovan set piece, but considering the number of opportunities he had and the number of goals the US gets from set plays...not good. We miss Holden, who serves a deadly ball.
* The Goodson-Ream pairing gives little confidence against quick opposition, but then, Gooch has been even worse. What's plan C? How about picking one of Goodson/Ream/Onyewu and pairing them with Bocanegra and playing with an attacking left back? I understand using Boca at left back against even-strength or superior opposition, but why in games where we expect to dominate possession and get overlapping fullbacks into attacking positions? Lichaj?
* Didn't take Jermaine Jones long to erase that little bit of good feeling he'd built up with me in the last match.
* My early notes said, "Hard to see this team scoring two" when the US went down 1-0. And yet there were 2-3 good chances in the first half and 3-4 glorious ones in the second. Finishing, finishing, finishing. Wonder if Agudelo off the bench against tired legs would be more effective than starting him? It's certainly where he's made his mark in the past.
* Damn what I wouldn't give to have Chandler on this roster. I know he and Bob agreed on a rest, but if this tournament is that important...
* There were some pretty, coherent passages of play late on. Why did it take 75 minutes to get there?
Amateur hour. That's the impression I'm left with. And yet, according to my quick figures, a US win against Guadaloupe, beaten by both Panama and Canada, in the last match assures them at least second place in the group. Still, it will require effort, commitment, and focus and leaves the possibility of encountering a regional heavyweight early in the knockout rounds.
That said, Bob and this team have overcome slow starts in tournaments before. Still, I wonder just how sustainable relying on the likes of Bedoya, Kljestan, and Wondolowski to ride to the rescue is. Surely the "A" team should be deeper?
Ugh.
C'est le jeu.
Then there's the disgust of seeing a side sloppy and unprepared; slow to every second ball (and first, if we're honest—did you see the number of guys looking for somebody else to make a play on a loose ball?); unable to build coherent attacking play; lacking commitment, effort, and confidence; and generally appearing as if they thought they could sleep-walk through the match and get a result.
Pathetic.
And even with all of that said, there was a late response that nearly snatched a valuable point. Imagine if the effort and sharpness had been there for 90 minutes. Some of that falls on the players. A bigger weight of blame falls on Bob. The hallmark of his teams always used to be being über-prepared but unable to adapt when the match changed tactically.
No so much any more.
Some high(low)-lights?
* Donovan did not look sharp from the run of play early, nor from his set pieces throughout. Sure, the goal did come from a Donovan set piece, but considering the number of opportunities he had and the number of goals the US gets from set plays...not good. We miss Holden, who serves a deadly ball.
* The Goodson-Ream pairing gives little confidence against quick opposition, but then, Gooch has been even worse. What's plan C? How about picking one of Goodson/Ream/Onyewu and pairing them with Bocanegra and playing with an attacking left back? I understand using Boca at left back against even-strength or superior opposition, but why in games where we expect to dominate possession and get overlapping fullbacks into attacking positions? Lichaj?
* Didn't take Jermaine Jones long to erase that little bit of good feeling he'd built up with me in the last match.
* My early notes said, "Hard to see this team scoring two" when the US went down 1-0. And yet there were 2-3 good chances in the first half and 3-4 glorious ones in the second. Finishing, finishing, finishing. Wonder if Agudelo off the bench against tired legs would be more effective than starting him? It's certainly where he's made his mark in the past.
* Damn what I wouldn't give to have Chandler on this roster. I know he and Bob agreed on a rest, but if this tournament is that important...
* There were some pretty, coherent passages of play late on. Why did it take 75 minutes to get there?
Amateur hour. That's the impression I'm left with. And yet, according to my quick figures, a US win against Guadaloupe, beaten by both Panama and Canada, in the last match assures them at least second place in the group. Still, it will require effort, commitment, and focus and leaves the possibility of encountering a regional heavyweight early in the knockout rounds.
That said, Bob and this team have overcome slow starts in tournaments before. Still, I wonder just how sustainable relying on the likes of Bedoya, Kljestan, and Wondolowski to ride to the rescue is. Surely the "A" team should be deeper?
Ugh.
Easing In | a USA Match Reaction
That wasn’t exactly “comfortable”, but the result was good and getting Altidore a little confidence boost1 might prove huge in the longer term. Blowing the doors off an opponent in the opener might be more sexy2, but there’s something to be said for easing into a tournament and building up momentum as you progress. Some talking points?
So roll on to Panama on Saturday, where I’ll have to make the tough club vs. country decision with United taking the field at roughly the same time (sigh). In a results business, the US got the job done in the opener, but the manner of the victory was well short of impressive. There are still big tactical and personnel concerns, and I think I saw more passing fluidity in stretches during the humiliation against Spain. Slow burn to success? Let’s hope.
Cue the refrain: I wasn’t impressed with the strike force. Yes, Altidore got a (soft) goal and looked generally more effective and Agudelo had a couple of spurts of quality, but in the main, the men up top were poor. Wondo looked lost. That said, they weren’t exactly spoiled for service, which is where we cue the second refrain about Dempsey and Donovan cutting back or into traffic, killing breaks and allowing the defense to regroup too easily.
Continuing on that theme. The 4-2-2-2 with two deep-lying holders and Dempsey/Donovan pinching in could work, but only in an ideal world where we’re fully stocked with overlapping fullbacks to bomb forward on the flanks. Dolo does his level best, but I would really love to see what Chandler (if he were here) could do in those situations. The left, as always, is a steaming morass of suck. Bocanegra is fine in the defend and counter scenario, but in the possess and dominate scenario, he’s a passenger until the set pieces arrive.
Jermaine Jones. I’ve been hard on him since he pulled on the shirt, and I make no apologies for that, but the first half was the best I’ve seen him play for the US. Faded in the second, but he was really solid in the first. Enough so that I wouldn’t have minded seeing Bradley get forward a little more. I’m still not fully converted, but that was a good start.
In the first half, the center backs were good. Goodson had a couple of brain-fart turnovers, but in general he and Ream kept things pretty locked down3, Ream demonstrating his usual technical quality if not a fearsome physical dominance. The second could have been a nightmare. Ream was exposed badly twice by Canadians dancing on the ball. But…
Timmy to the rescue. Telefutura (great feed on univision.com by the way) gave MOTM honors to Altidore, but Howard was easily the biggest difference maker, stoning three great Canadian chances, two of them in the same sequence. But for Howard, this one may have been a lot closer, maybe not even a win.
So roll on to Panama on Saturday, where I’ll have to make the tough club vs. country decision with United taking the field at roughly the same time (sigh). In a results business, the US got the job done in the opener, but the manner of the victory was well short of impressive. There are still big tactical and personnel concerns, and I think I saw more passing fluidity in stretches during the humiliation against Spain. Slow burn to success? Let’s hope.
(Very) Quick Thoughts on USA v. Spain
An embarrassing first half followed by a more competitive second with the introductions of Dempsey, Cherundolo, and Bradley. A few very quick thoughts?
- Bradley is the first choice in central midfield, no question. His partner is open to debate. With a healthy Holden available, I'd be leaning that way, but of those on offer, I'd probably opt for Edu at the moment. Kljestan, surprisingly, wasn't completely awful once pushed to the middle in the second half.
- Onyewu wouldn't be in my first-choice eleven at the moment.
- Altidore looks lost. The fact that Wondolowski looked more useful up top is great for Wondo, but speaks volumes about where Altidore is at the moment.
- Where are the goals going to come from? I still wonder if Gomez should have been included. We need guys who've been finishing at a high level.
All in all, you can't be too disappointed about having a mixed-bag side dismissed by the world champions (even if they were missing their string-puller-in-chief), though the margin of the dismissal should be worrying. Here's hoping the Gold Cup group stage brings the goals and builds confidence.
- Bradley is the first choice in central midfield, no question. His partner is open to debate. With a healthy Holden available, I'd be leaning that way, but of those on offer, I'd probably opt for Edu at the moment. Kljestan, surprisingly, wasn't completely awful once pushed to the middle in the second half.
- Onyewu wouldn't be in my first-choice eleven at the moment.
- Altidore looks lost. The fact that Wondolowski looked more useful up top is great for Wondo, but speaks volumes about where Altidore is at the moment.
- Where are the goals going to come from? I still wonder if Gomez should have been included. We need guys who've been finishing at a high level.
All in all, you can't be too disappointed about having a mixed-bag side dismissed by the world champions (even if they were missing their string-puller-in-chief), though the margin of the dismissal should be worrying. Here's hoping the Gold Cup group stage brings the goals and builds confidence.
Quick Thoughts on DC vs. LA
Five games unbeaten? Shutout with three rooks on the back line? Road point against the league leaders and looking the more likely to win if anybody did?
Impressive. Even if the Galaxy were missing a couple of key offensive cogs. Some quick thoughts...
* Josh Wolff has had four fantastic looks at net over the last couple of games. He's finished one. Davies had a great chance to seal three points after beating both defense and keeper last night. Veteran finishers need to do better. I'll post my own caveat by saying that (1) I wasn't expecting Wolff to be much more than a veteran head coming off the bench for junk minutes holding leads, so his newfound playmaking role makes up for the lack of lethality (somewhat) and (2) Davies was always going to be a wild card and his production thus far has exceded what I thought we'd get from him.
* I continue to get that worried feeling about Pontius and his nasty case of the Quaranta's, but I'd rather have him healthy, confident, and looking to bite off more than he can possible chew than the inverse. Also, he's still playing well despite often being a touch too selfish (thought I go back and forth on whether that's really a bad thing). Speaking of worried feelings...Olsen's sideline behavior is creeping into Mourinho-land. I was thinking all that was missing was the "disbelieving/rueful smile after a botched play" moment when along came the Davies miss...
* Sticking with Olsen, I think he's found his tactical comfort zone with this group. Stay compact, attack generally on the counter with 3-4 players, and rely upon creativity from wide players, often pinching in. Sounds a bit like the USMNT, eh? After years of glacial, plodding attacks, it's gratifying to see a bit of urgency and some genuine quickness both with and without the ball. Not the most watchable stuff, I'll grant you, but getting better.
* If ever the set pieces were going to haunt a team that's been really poor against them, you'd figure a Timbers (nearly 70% of their goals come via dead balls) and Galaxy (hullo, Mr. Beckham) road swing would do the trick. Very happy to see progress being made combatting that particular weakness.
* I wonder if Davies gets back into this lineup as a starter or stays super-sub for a while? I like Brettschneider, and not just because he's a Suppie; his aerial work (only attacker outside of Pontius with this ability) and energy have both been excellent. Another one to wonder about? McCarty. Playing as part of a deeper holding pair in the center of midfield would seem to play to his strengths, but he hasn't exactly been missed, has he?
Color me almost shocked with where this team is at the moment. I knew there was some potential on the roster, but I figured the combination of youth on the bench and on the field would require more time to start stringing together consistent results. Indeed, prior to this 5 game unbeaten stretch, United were just about the train-wreck to moments-of-bliss roller coaster I had expected to be on for the majority of the season. Not that there still aren't glaring weaknesses to be addressed in the summer transfer window, but for now...
Vamos United!
Impressive. Even if the Galaxy were missing a couple of key offensive cogs. Some quick thoughts...
* Josh Wolff has had four fantastic looks at net over the last couple of games. He's finished one. Davies had a great chance to seal three points after beating both defense and keeper last night. Veteran finishers need to do better. I'll post my own caveat by saying that (1) I wasn't expecting Wolff to be much more than a veteran head coming off the bench for junk minutes holding leads, so his newfound playmaking role makes up for the lack of lethality (somewhat) and (2) Davies was always going to be a wild card and his production thus far has exceded what I thought we'd get from him.
* I continue to get that worried feeling about Pontius and his nasty case of the Quaranta's, but I'd rather have him healthy, confident, and looking to bite off more than he can possible chew than the inverse. Also, he's still playing well despite often being a touch too selfish (thought I go back and forth on whether that's really a bad thing). Speaking of worried feelings...Olsen's sideline behavior is creeping into Mourinho-land. I was thinking all that was missing was the "disbelieving/rueful smile after a botched play" moment when along came the Davies miss...
* Sticking with Olsen, I think he's found his tactical comfort zone with this group. Stay compact, attack generally on the counter with 3-4 players, and rely upon creativity from wide players, often pinching in. Sounds a bit like the USMNT, eh? After years of glacial, plodding attacks, it's gratifying to see a bit of urgency and some genuine quickness both with and without the ball. Not the most watchable stuff, I'll grant you, but getting better.
* If ever the set pieces were going to haunt a team that's been really poor against them, you'd figure a Timbers (nearly 70% of their goals come via dead balls) and Galaxy (hullo, Mr. Beckham) road swing would do the trick. Very happy to see progress being made combatting that particular weakness.
* I wonder if Davies gets back into this lineup as a starter or stays super-sub for a while? I like Brettschneider, and not just because he's a Suppie; his aerial work (only attacker outside of Pontius with this ability) and energy have both been excellent. Another one to wonder about? McCarty. Playing as part of a deeper holding pair in the center of midfield would seem to play to his strengths, but he hasn't exactly been missed, has he?
Color me almost shocked with where this team is at the moment. I knew there was some potential on the roster, but I figured the combination of youth on the bench and on the field would require more time to start stringing together consistent results. Indeed, prior to this 5 game unbeaten stretch, United were just about the train-wreck to moments-of-bliss roller coaster I had expected to be on for the majority of the season. Not that there still aren't glaring weaknesses to be addressed in the summer transfer window, but for now...
Vamos United!
Blame Canada
via Goff
Hmmm. It also looks like I don't have a BHH entry in the glossary. Better get on that...
(Also: "The" Canada? Is that a subtle dig by the Goffster at those who attach unnecessary articles to "the" DC United? ;-)
D.C. United defender Dejan Jakovic injured a hamstring in the first half of the Canada’s 2-2 draw with Ecuador on Wednesday night in Toronto, the team’s final tuneup for the Gold Cup.Looks like the Bum Hammy Hammer doesn't respect national borders.
Hmmm. It also looks like I don't have a BHH entry in the glossary. Better get on that...
(Also: "The" Canada? Is that a subtle dig by the Goffster at those who attach unnecessary articles to "the" DC United? ;-)
Catching Up
Apologies for the long silence. The dust is beginning to settle1, so I’m just going to try to get back into the routine swing of things by making a few observations…
Okay, okay. I hear your digital consensus: Pontius has been playing quite well of late. Still, every so often, I’m tempted to throw something at the screen when his ambitions outstrip his talent. Or, to put it another way: when he comes down with a virulent case of the Quaranta’s. There’s something to be said for testing your limits, but the other side of that adage coin is knowing them. Don’t get me wrong, I like players who try the audacious, and I certainly like having him on the team, but there’s this irritating niggle sometimes…It’s that same feeling I got when Dempsey went from daring to diva2.
One game for Brettschneider doesn’t really prove anything except that he deserves another chance and that those who’ve been calling for him to get minutes ahead of Ngwenya were justified in doing so. For the record, I still think Ngwenya should be jettisoned at the earliest opportunity. For the kind of wage he’s pulling ($156k), we can do better. Much better. Granted, he does have the potential to pull rabbits out of hats, but the only thing that’s been unpredictable about him this year is how far away the ball goes after his first lead-booted touch. That said, Portland’s best spell of the game Sunday coincided with Wolff coming on for Ngwenya. Still, I wouldn’t have banked on Ngwenya to finish that breakaway for 3-1, would you? $156k. Just sayin’.
Fingers crossed that Canada gets bumped early from the Gold Cup, because Jakovic was putting out all manner of fires Sunday. Sure, sure, you can point to the marginal penalty and the (soft, soft, ever so soft) free kicks given up in the second half and a largely unimpressive body of work to start the season, but lately he’s been much better. How much of that is due to a steady back four and a more conservative central midfield approach can be debated, but we’re going to miss him. Who do you put back there with White now? Kitchen? Brasesco? Burch? Pardon while I smack myself silly for making that last suggestion. Kitchen it is, with Korb going to right back in a three-out-of-four rookie back line. Gulp.
I wasn’t surprised that an Olsen-built and Olsen-led side put up a good fight on a little plastic pitch built more for scrapping than for dancing. What did surprise me was a stronger resistance to set pieces3 and the non-collapse in the wake of the PK fiasco. You know what will really surprise me? If we look as strong on a bigger, more danceable surface against more technical opposition who are not so easily bitten on the counter. Home Depot Center on Friday night? Yep, that’ll do.
So roll on Friday. Will I be able to stay awake for the whole thing? Doubtful considering I have to be up early the next morning, but I’ll certainly be dropping some form of commentary when I do watch the match in its entirety4.
Yes, that was deliberately vague. Believe me, you’re quite welcome… ↩
For the sake of completeness, I think Deuce has since backed away from that precipice somewhat, though not entirely. ↩
Still not great, but Portland are the Stoke-ian ideal of a set-piece siege engine, so with all else being relative…Does make you wonder though. Maybe the brain trust should have had us working harder on set pieces before this week given that it’s been an obvious weakness? ↩
Fingers crossed. ↩
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