tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198732413882406269.post1756563635081933316..comments2023-10-14T19:01:03.490-04:00Comments on The Fullback Files: Not With a Bang, But a Whimper | A DC United Match ReactionAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14548145598767127627noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198732413882406269.post-68102134944112104852009-09-28T10:56:13.564-04:002009-09-28T10:56:13.564-04:00Emilio came from the Honduran League and proved he...Emilio came from the Honduran League and proved he can still play in the Honduran League with his two goals mid-week. Maybe he should go back. Pontius needs more time up front where Santino can find him either from the right flank or the withdrawn forward position. I can tolerate Wicks while our younger keepers mature (more so than Crayton and Wells) and would rather see us invest our resources in someone who can work with Santino to generate a creative attack (either a left mid-fielder which would allow Wallace to either play left fullback or defensive mid or an attacking central midfielder who can see the field well and get balls to the right players in the right spaces. That would still require us being able to finish (Pontius misses a lot) so an additional finisher might help too.<br /><br />Burch is a lost cause. When asked whether he ever considered putting Burch at left back, the Maryland coach just laughed and said "It never occurred to me". He's a good coach - one I would recommend to replace Soehn.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198732413882406269.post-87765045996654642572009-09-28T10:29:21.918-04:002009-09-28T10:29:21.918-04:00@LaMancha
The playoffs are a long shot, given who ...<b>@LaMancha</b><br />The playoffs are a long shot, given who has games in hand on us, but, like rob says below, making the playoffs is only going to be a matter of pride, cause we'll do jack-all if we get there. I'd keep James around as a cheap project, and I've been surprised by Benny's durability this year. I think he can go one more as a player/coach. The rest you've mentioned can go, though Jaime should be back as an assistant next year once Soehn/Ashton get their marching orders.<br /><br /><b>@rob</b><br />#2 - Yup, time for Jaime to work on his coaching badges.<br /><br />#3 - If nothing else, it might have meant that we didn't screw around with the 3-5-2 so long. That in itself may have grabbed a precious few points. I still don't see us being a <i>dangerous</i> playoff side though.<br /><br />#4 - The problem then becomes the FO. They've made <i>some</i> good acquisitions, but those are far outweighed by the bad, overpaid, and flat-out useless cadre we've brought on board. Just think, wasn't Jakovic the emergency option when the short, ancient Brazilian Roger backed out? Can you imagine the implosion from a Janicki-Roger centerback pairing to start the season (we were doing the 4-4-2 diamond in pre-season)? Yikes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198732413882406269.post-40629742544402595632009-09-28T09:21:54.024-04:002009-09-28T09:21:54.024-04:00Random thoughts:
1. Benny, flinging himself prone...Random thoughts:<br /><br />1. <i>Benny, flinging himself prone to execute an outrageous backheel. Favorite. United. Player. Ever!</i><br /><br />This. Could not believe that. In addition to having a great deal more technical skill than I think he's usually given credit for, Ben is easily our smartest player. Replacing him (as we ought to start to do next season) will be hard, though I suppose there's potential to Simms-Wallace. (Too bad we never got to see Simms-Veron or Olsen-Veron...)<br /><br />2. Jaime is finished, as is this season, regardless of whether we squeak into the playoffs through some other team's greater incompetence. <br /><br />3. How bad was the decision to get rid of Guerrero? I'd trade him for Gomez in a heartbeat, and I think we'd be in the playoffs. Not winning the Cup, but respectably in the playoffs.<br /><br />4. I still think we've got a decent chance to be good next year and very good the following, if we make smart moves in the offseason. The upside is that our best players are our cheapest players, which is a much better situation to be in than the one we've had the past couple offseasons, where our best players were our expensive players.robhttp://eatingbark.covblogs.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198732413882406269.post-17954031263296373462009-09-27T23:25:51.838-04:002009-09-27T23:25:51.838-04:00You words sound so clear. I agree with your conclu...You words sound so clear. I agree with your concluding statements. DC United has to do some major shake-ups for next season. Playoffs? I think so if we can pull away 5-6 points in the last 3 games. And also if lady luck is on our side. Get rid of Soehn, Emilio, Fred, Moreno, Olsen (sorry, too old), Burch, John, James, Janicki - and rebuild with what you got there. Shop Szetela too - we can get a decent pickup with him.ManOfLaManchanoreply@blogger.com