How to Construct a Straw Man

I agree with the facts of this post, but I fine the tone off-putting. While I don't doubt that there are those who believe that early-season form would be an issue, I think most of us in DC-land have been pretty clear. Our mantra has always been "there are no moral victories" and part of that is denying any prebuilt excuse for the timing of any tournament. Perhaps the closest we've come for making an excuse was the altitude of the first leg at Pachuca, but even then it was one point among many.

So let me say this to Luis. Yes, sometimes writers are Diogenes with his lamp looking for one honest man, and sometimes you're part of the crowd at a hair metal concert lifting your lighter above your head. The points you make are far more typical for the second group. We all agree that the salary cap is a hindrance to international success, so don't go acting all indignant and righteous. Because it's not that special.

Debriefing for Match 13.A.04: Pachuca C.F.

D.C. United 2 : 1 Pachuca C.F.

Six Word Novel Recap

A classic match that United lost.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Times, John Haydon: "United earned a 2-1 victory on goals from substitutes Rod Dyachenko and Franco Niell in the last five minutes last night at RFK Stadium, but Pachuca claimed the series 3-2 on aggregate after beating United 2-0 at home last week."
The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "Under regular circumstances, D.C. United's feat in the closing minutes of last night's Champions' Cup match against Pachuca of Mexico -- scoring two goals to overcome a deficit and defeat the region's most dominant club this decade -- would have provided one of the most memorable victories in the team's 12-year history. Instead..."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "United had their chances before Pachuca struck for a 76th-minute counterattack goal from substitute Damian Alvarez that made late D.C. tallies from Rod Dyachenko and Franco Niell inadequate."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "But United created their share of scoring opportunities and saw two questionable challenges in the visitors' penalty area go unpunished by referee Joel Aguilar, most notably when Leobardo Lopez tugged Fred to the turf in the 55th minute."
UnitedMania, Mike Martin: "United put themselves in the soup by failing to finish some glorious opportunities in the first half when they dominated the game...Emilio in particular had a rough night and had the most egregious missed chances of the match for the home side. In the 28th minute, right back Devon McTavish got on the end of a lovely overlap and struck a perfect cross to Emilio at the near post, unfortunately his angled shot whistled just wide of the far post. "
Goal.Com, Noah Davis: "The first half was marred by inconsistent and sloppy play. Pachuca controlled the early going, with D.C. unable to keep pace. After committing three fouls in the span of eight minutes, the referee showed a deserved yellow to Luciano Emilio...United, needing a result, began to press in earnest. The increased effort went for naught, as a spunky Pachuca side showed its class and absorbed D.C.'s advances...In an effort to inject life into the squad, Marc Burch came on for Santino Quaranta in the 60th minute, followed by Franco Niell for McTavish five minutes later. The changes didn't help, as the Mexican side drew first blood when Damian Alvarez rammed a ball past Wells from inside the penalty spot in the 76th minute." [Note: I'm quoting so much of this article because I think that, on-balance, it is the game recap that I disagree with the most. I mean, really Mr. Davis? This is what you took away from this game? Honestly, this game was fantastic, and I say that from the losing side, and you went a did a "MLS vs. Mexican Team Paint by Numbers" recap? Come on man, show some love and passion!]
Behind the Badge, The Management: "Tonight's game could have had a very different outcome. Tommy Soehn's hybrid 3-4-3 formation worked wonders, the guys created numerous chances in the first half and if not for one defensive gaffe midway through the second, two late goals might have been enough."
DCist, Matt Borque: "Many times in soccer, a match's result can be qualified as fair, mostly fair, or unfair. This qualification is determined by examining the breaks of the game, the flukes, controversies, and dictatorship of the game's pace. The abundance of these variables in last night's games makes its result difficult to qualify."
An American's View..., Brian Garrison: "Last night I saw a very discomposed DC United out on the field. I saw several passes that were made blindly and to no one. I saw many miscues when trying to play together, too many for a club that has been together for two and a half months." [Note: There's always one game where Brian and I come to completely opposite conclusions. Apparently this is that game.]
The Edgell Supporters: "The 3 man backline did a remarkable job until we started sending everything forward and even then we only gave up one. Namoff was especially good."
DCUMD, Shatz: "All in all, a fantastic soccer match. I could gripe about the officiating if I wanted to, but despite that, this game between two very talented and essentially evenly matched opponents might turn out to be better than any MLS game we see all year. Which makes the result even more frustrating and disappointing."
BLCKDGRD, BDR: "Pachuca is better. Faster, more athletic, most instinctive on the ball, better organized, better coached. I'm not slamming United: I like to imagine that United, given the same resources, financially and culturally, would build an organization and team equal to or superior to top tier Mexican clubs. And United has built, respective to its financial and cultural abilities, one of the top clubs in its league."

The Good

1. Roll the Dice: Many times I have seen managers who need a result put out a line-up that looks attacking in nature, and then tactically play the lineup withdrawn so as to defang the very advantage you want to create. It seems that losing close is better than really risking things for the win. So my credit to Tom Soehn who put out an attacking line-up and played it like an attacking line-up, knowing that Pachuca was a good enough team that they would find opportunities to exploit it. And the three man back-line was excellent for most of the match. Yes, they had difficulties when Pachuca found counters with numbers, but that was inevitable. And contra the well-respected Mr. Urban from yesterday's comments, I don't think starting Marc Burch was the right idea. Marc has looked good going forward at times, but his defense, while better, has also never really gotten above adequate. In a four man back line that's fine, but he would have well and truly been exposed in a three man line.
2. Midfield Tackles: From Gallardo, Fred, McTavish, Simms, Moreno, and even Emilio, I was pleased to see how hard United worked to get the ball back before it reached our half of the field. Pachuca was, I think, a bit disconcerted as time went on, and while they had some stretches of where they passed the ball around, frequently it was on their side of the field and didn't culminate in a credible attack.
3. Rod Dyachenko: You know, I think I finally understood Rod for the first time last night. He's really good with the ball at his feet in tight quarters. He can't really beat anyone with speed, but he can engage a defender and get by him, and with Pachuca bunkering towards the end, it played well to his strengths.
4. Namoff-Peralta-Matinez: I can not recall the last time I've really been truly comfortable with a backline, but I'm getting there. The great thing about this line-up is the fact that no one of these players will win Defender of the Year because they play well together, each covering. So far, this is the best defensive corp. that hasn't had someone named R. Nelsen playing for them.
5. Pachuca: They play a really nice style of soccer, even in counter-attack mode. I have to give them that. This game was so fun to watch because it wasn't like Pachuca looked jet lagged, but rather they said "Okay, here's how we're going to play. Can you beat that?" And having thrown down the gauntlet, both sides excelled in trying to outplay each other. It was a feeling I don't get very often.
6. The Return of Jaime Moreno: Last year he held the ball just by guarding it. Last night he held the ball by forcing defenders to try and figure out his intentions. It was much better.
   

The Bad

1. So-Called Dangerous Set Pieces: I am coming to loathe Gallardo's corner kicks, fluttering things typically to the back post that never seem dangerous. His free kicks around the box weren't particularly good either, and Marc Burch's one shot at glory was a pathetic in-swinger to the keeper. This was the worst execution United was dealing with.
2. Emilio: I hesitated about putting him in here, but I think it has to be mentioned. I don't fault him too much for missing the far post on his deflection, but the failure to get the shot off when he was in on the keeper and took three touches was worrying. But let's talk about missing the far post from Tino's cross In La Liga, that situation is a goal nine times out of ten. In the EPL, perhaps 8 out of 10 (and 10 out of 10 for the best teams). In MLS, it's a coin-flip. We lost the toss on this occasion. Provided Emilio doesn't become too Stoppardesque, I think we'll regret that miss, but not curse it.
   

Officiating Watch

The reason I started writing the Officiating Watch was that we tend only to talk about referees when they're bad, or focus on the one missed call, or what-not. And as a result, it colors our view of officiating in general, as what sticks out are the non-called penalty, the harsh yellows, the ridiculous failure to raise a flag over a head...

And so far, most of the officiating has been decent, even in games where United was not victorious. Which is why I've tried to give those officials their due. And that brings us to Mr. Jose Aguilar.

I'll say this for him, he improved over the course of the match, the same way one's situation in court improves when the prosecutors decide it might have been second degree murder. But truly, he was awful. He encapsulated the worst stereotype of the CONCACAF center official - the one that believes "Of course one team is more talented than the other, so any time that talented team is dispossessed, or falls to the ground, I should blow the whistle." And for fifteen minutes, the double standard of officiating between Pachuca and D.C. United was an insult to every other referee I have seen this season. And I haven't even gotten to the missed penalty on Fred (clearly wrong) or for the tackle from behind (debatable, and I can let it go). The yellow on Emilio for persistent infringement was the wrong card at the wrong time (a coworker notes that the Yellow was deserved for Emilio going in studs up the foul before). The double standard continued, just not as brazenly, for the entire game.

As for the Assistant Referees, I think they weren't particularly great, but at least they were equally bad to both sides. Pachuca was flagged for times when they were even in the second half the same way United was in the first half. Fine.

That there was a decent match on despite an atrocious performance from Mr. Aguilar is a tribute to the skills shown by United and Pachuca. Easily the worst match of the season. Likert Scale Grade: 1 - Poor

Man of the Match

You can pick any defender or midfielder you want, but I'm going to stick with my original pick and award it to Bryan Namoff. He started the move that got the first goal, played his head off the entire match, and was wonderful even as Pachuca seemed to think they could take advantage of him. Merit awards to Peralta, Martinez, Simms, Fred, Moreno, Quaranta, and Dyachenko. Your goat is Emilio.

Adjusted Results

This is for the MLS Season, but man is it tempting to award that penalty. N/A

Final Thoughts

In the first leg, I know United was in trouble when I looked at Pachuca and thought "Wow, this is how I want to see United play almost every game." In the second leg, I saw United play like United, and Pachuca play like Pachuca. And as a result, the disappointment of elimination is tempered. Against Chivas last year, it felt like we gave the game away in Mexico, a game we by rights should have won. Against Pachuca, the series ultimately could have gone either way, but we showed up and didn't give away the game. So it feels different.

Now, I'm not sure this game will be different come CONCACAF Champion's League. Let's not forget that Superliga last year came at a time when United was playing somewhat poor mid-season soccer. But man, I'd like to see a rematch. Yes indeed.

First Impressions - D.C. United 2 : 1 Pachuca C.F.

Aggregate - D.C. United 2 : 3 Pachuca C.F.
DC United Eliminated from CONCACAF Champion's Cup

That was easily one of the most entertaining and fun matches I have seen in a long time. It was a game that managed to be wonderfully entertaining for all 90 minutes, that had chances for both teams, that had key defensive plays from both back lines, that had midfield combinations that made you smile with all being right in the world. It was, quite simply, one of the best games as an entity I have seen in some time.

In the end, United won the day, but lost the war. At nil-nil it was a wonderful to watch. Tom Soehn did what a manager had to do: He made the moves to give his team the chance to deliver. And there were chances. Emilio's touch wide of the post, the penalty Fred earned but was not awarded, the various bombs by Pachuca players just over the crossbar... Before Pachuca earned the first goal of the night, United had three very good chances to put the ball in the net, and came away empty. When Pachuca scored, putting themselves up three goals, I felt that United would fold the tent after all the effort they had put forward.

But they didn't. They ran like hell. Everyone did. They kept pressuring. Yes, the final ten minutes felt a bit frantic, but that's when they finally broke through. First on Dyachenko's goal (of which 50% of the credit should go to Bryan Namoff, who stepped up, eluded one defender, and then sent Fred in on goal before Fred slotted the ball to Rod). Then on Niell's goal (which was all Fred's touch. You might argue he was trying to control the ball and it got away from him, but I think I saw him look to locate Niell, and that's enough for me to call it intentional.) They fought to the end.

The problem was that too much of this story was written in Mexico. United had to play the way they did, and take the risks they did as time went on, and that invited exactly the kind of goal Pachuca eventually converted. The game was lost then, as we always feared it might be. It is almost sad that we had to make it close so we were reminded of the fact.

Still, I am proud of the effort I saw tonight from D.C. United. They played well. Well enough to earn the result they did, perhaps even well enough to have forced this series to extra time. This is not a moral victory, but this result tonight showed me more than the four goals against Toronto did.

Feel free to comment for the debrief. My sense is the man of the match is Bryan Namoff (though I would love to hear your recommendations). Center official Jose Aguilar was pretty poor, but somehow managed not to ruin the match. And as for the bad, I only have one element I'm planning to talk about in the debrief, but I'm always curious.

Debriefing for Match 13.A.03: At Pachuca C.F.

Pachuca C.F. 2 : 0 D.C. United

Aggregate after one leg -- DCU 0 : 2 Pachuca C.F.

Six Word Novel Recap

You thought it would be simple?

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "D.C. United saw a valiant defensive effort undone by the products of two inspired substitutions from Pachuca coach Enrique Meza in the second half as 'Los Tuzos' earned a hard-won 2-0 victory Tuesday night at Estadio Hidalgo."
The Washington Post, Steven Goff: "Montes's strikes in the 63rd and 81st minutes sent United to its fourth road loss without a victory against Mexican clubs since 2005 and left the MLS team in need of a two-goal victory April 9 at RFK Stadium to force an overtime period and, if necessary, penalty kicks."
DC Sports Box, Abram Fox: "Driving in from the left flank, Montes looped a hard volley to the left corner of the net from outside the penalty area. The shot tricked D.C. United goalkeeper Zach Wells, who initially played it as if it were a crossing pass. Wells managed to get a hand on the ball, but not enough to keep it out of the net."
Soccer America, Ridge Mahoney: "The 8,000-foot altitude took its toll early. With Jaime Moreno on the bench, United could only hang with Pachuca for the first half an hour or so..."

US Soccer Players, J Hutcherson: "So DC United shows up at Estadoi Hildalgo, opens like it's an away game in East Rutherford, and wrongly thinks they're actually in it based on time of possession and the MLS definition of 'chances.' Fair enough, but not likely to hold. Instead, Pachuca once again reminds the League why they've been so unsuccessful playing in Mexico. At some point, an MLS club is going to look at how Mexican League teams play each other, realize that the bunker defense and 0-0 shutouts aren't entertaining, and open their game up.
UnitedMania, Mike Martin: "United did everything right except keep it to a one goal margin in Estadio Hidalgo Mexico."
BLCKDGRD, BDR: "The question isn't whether Gallardo is skilled, the question is whether Gallardo hasn't adopted to United's offense or whether Soehn hasn't changed United's offense to fit Gallardo. The question is whether United has the skill players to fit Gallardo's skills."
The Fullback Files: "Wells did his level best to top Perkins' brain-fart from last year against Chivas. Not quite the same level of egregiousness present in the mistake this time, but still a basic positioning error nonetheless." [Note: I'm in agreement with Fullback here, and not with DC Sports Box. The problem wasn't Wells thinking the ball was a cross, the problem was him positioning for a cross before the ball left the attacker's foot.]
Center Holds It, Jeff: "Without laboring the point, it’s worth noting that Pachuca could have had more: in fact, they squandered a couple positively gilded chances..."
Poplar Point Perspective, JCM: "A one goal loss would have been admirable and perhaps fortunate. A two goal loss was deserved."
DCUMD, Shatz: "How can consecutive 2-0 losses feel so completely different? Altogether, this isn't an entirely insurmountable lead. But it feels to me a lot like our 2-0 loss at Chicago in the playoffs last year. And I have a bad feeling that the home leg will be similar too, with a much-improved DC squad that will score a goal or two, but ultimately still come up short."
The Edgell Supporters: "Guys like Emilio and Gallardo were brought in to make immediate impacts and win these tournaments. Is the master plan incorrect? or do we just need more time? Luckily we have more time and even this tournament is not over yet. I hope we are not waiting in vain for the team to come together."

The Good

Since I didn't see the game with my own eyes, I'm gonna incorporate some comments from last night...

1. Fred: It was clear that he wasn't cheating towards the middle, but had been ordered to pinch in and help out. Part of this was the way we were being abused down Devon McTavish's side of the flank, which forced Simms to cheat from the middle to the wing. A slight deformity of shape, but Fred made it work. One of the two bright spots in this game, the other being...
2. Clyde Simms: Seriously, after a Kansas City game where I was less than impressed, he really fought hard, and even after his legs gave out he was still one of the more effective defenders. Classy.
3. Adam Shlian's Birthday: Just my boy Adam. It was his birthday yesterday. Happy birthday man. Not soccer related, but at least there was something to feel good about yesterday.
   

The Bad

1. Devon McTavish: Do I think Devon knows how to make attacking runs from the wing? Yes. Do I think Devon knows how to defend? Yes. Do I think that he knows how to move and position from one to another, providing a balance between the two from the midfield position? No. At this point, he simply doesn't seem to possess the awareness of how to make those choices, and both suffer inordinately.
   
2. Emilio, Midfielder: Emilio was tracking back deep for the ball. Really deep. And it clearly wasn't a case of him drifting back to get the ball, but rather some form of gameplan that called to push him back. Maybe it was Gallardo playing deeply that Tom Soehn felt that Emilio was the best choice to provide a linking option, but those aren't Emilio's skill set (nor is it really Niell's). The team seemed awkward at best, and we gave the ball away too frequently as Fred and Emilio found themselves out of options as they moved into the final third.
3. Scientists: Remember hearing, via the Post and on the FSC broadcast, how scientists had determined that the longer you put off your arrival at altitude, the less it would affect you? Really? I imagine then that if we had arrived another day earlier, that United would have probably collapsed the moment they got off the bus, their eyes bugging out of their head like Ah-nold's at the end of Total Recall.
   

Man of the Match

N/A

Karma Bank

N/A

(Semi) Final Thoughts

I see where others are writing the "2-0" is not impossible, just very very difficult storyline. And they're right. But I think we're also trying to convince ourselves of that fact. Pachuca, if they play anything close to as well as they played two nights ago, will win the aggregate score. Even if United plays twice as well. The only hope for United is that Pachuca suddenly finds that traveling doesn't agree with them, and United plays the game of its life.

I'm also now on the bandwagon that United needs to use the home opener against TFC as a statement game. There have now been three somewhat disappointing matches, and one good one. Fans need to believe in this team, but United needs a reason to believe in itself. Saturday's as good a day as any for that to happen.

I may have one more thing to say later regarding Pachuca and United, so we'll call these the semi-final thoughts for now.

First Impressions - Pachuca C.F. 2 : 0 D.C. United

Did you ever have some elaborate plan to sneak out and hang out with your friends when you were in high school? And it had to be an elaborate plan, because technically you were grounded? So anyways, I was trying for various reasons to get to Georgetown with my SO, but I wasn't supposed to be driving anywhere, but I had a plan with multiple distractions and false leads that should have gotten my parents out of the house and let me make it into Georgetown. And it was working perfectly, until my parents decided to come back home via Georgetown and somehow saw me on the street. United's 2-nil defeat was kinda of like that.

United played well, but "well" wasn't perfect, or even exceptional, or even "damn good" and just "above average" wasn't going to cut it. When there's a difficult environment at altitude plus a skilled opponent plus a difference in form, you pretty much have to have a very good game. And United didn't have that tonight. They had a decent, well, alright game. And they're down two goals because of it, which makes the return leg at RFK not impossible, but a fair longshot.

The first goal is most likely the fault of Wells, thought Montes was running down the side of the box a little too freely, indicating that McTavish or Namoff or someone missed the mark there. The second goal was set up with the McTavish foul, and frankly that's a goal I would expect to see more times converted by Pachuca than not.

And on the other end, United would look threatening, but too often try to thread a ball through too many defenders, or not pull the trigger, or something, and the chance would slip away. Full credit for creating half of an opportunity, but no credit for not really even exploiting the opportunities we created with dangerous shots.

Form was clearly a factor, in two ways. Yes, the most obvious way was the fact the last fifteen minutes of the first half, and the last half an hour of the second, it was clear we were almost done. Those legs were heavy. But the other way our lack of form manifested was in the way the muscle memory hasn't quite gotten the mnemonics for this season. You can see the ideas, they're good ideas, but the pace of the passes is off, or the angle is shaved too thin, or the touch puts you into awkward footing, and suddenly the ball is going the other way.

If there is a complaint, a real point that I have a problem with, it was United's inability to be gracious with the gifts they were given. United was clearly at its best with some posession to the game, and they showed they could pass the ball around. Yet too often in the back a chance to build that same type of possession, to make Pachuca chase and give everyone a bit of a breather -- those opportunities were squandered with a poor pass out of the defensive third. That may be some fatigue, or some form, but I also got the feeling that the pressure of the situation had clouded the mental clarity that would have just advocated for a moment of calm.

There is no man of the match, but I think I would have looked seriously at Fred. As for the goat, I'm looking somewhat towards McTavish right now. I'll see how I feel after a good night's sleep. Debrief tomorrow.

MLS Season opener draws near.

Ahh, the end of march, when MLS bloggers awake from their pre-season slumber and start covering their team. Or something like that. This Saturday, United kicks off the 2008 season on the road against the Kansas City Wizards. We're sure to have a full on preview before then, for now, suffice to say that the game is only available on DireckKick and MLSLIVE.TV. The Screaming Eagles have you covered and have set up not one, not two, not three, but four viewing parties for the game. A sad state of affairs for the debut of a Designated Player, but thats MLS for you. By the way, have DC United ever opened the season at home?

In other United news, Josh Gros will coach the U15 Academy team. Let's hope he has someone else showing the kids how to refine their heading techniques.

Josh Gros, former United midfielder and defender, is set to lead D.C. United's U-15 Academy Developmental Training Program. Gros did not resume his playing career this season after his 2007 campaign was cut short, the result of a series of head injuries. Though his playing future has yet to be determined, the Rutgers product will remain a part of the team in his new position on the sidelines.

Finally, we learned last Thursday that DC United will face Pachuca of Mexico in the Champions' Cup semi-finals. I like our chances, given that we host the return leg, so barring a massive drubbing in Mexico, dot dot dot. The away match is next Tuesday, April 1st with the return set for Wednesday April 9th. Pachuca knocked the Houston Dynamo out of the cup last year, but only barely. This mexican press article notes that "Enrique Meza pupils barely dominated to continue the defense of their crown, despite Montagua dominating beginning"

Debriefing for Match 13.A.02: Harbour View F.C.

D.C. United 5 : 0 Harbour View F.C.

Six Word Novel Recap

They got up. They stood up.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Times, John Haydon: "Devon McTavish, who scored his first goal for D.C. United in last week's tie at Jamaican club Harbour View, added two more last night in the return game as United breezed to a 5-0 win before 12,394 at RFK Stadium."
The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "That Luciano Emilio provided two goals during D.C. United's 5-0 demolition of Jamaican club Harbour View last night came as no surprise. He was, after all, the leading scorer and most valuable player in MLS last season. The fact that his Brazilian countryman, Fred, set up a goal with a breathtaking pass and scored on a breakaway was not totally unexpected, given his flashes of brilliance a year ago. But Devon McTavish scoring the other two goals to increase his total to three in the Champions' Cup quarterfinal series? "
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "United were the better side in the first half, but struggled to test Harbour View goalkeeper Dwayne Miller until a Marcelo Gallardo free kick trickled through a crowded penalty box and fell for Devon McTavish to finish in the 26th minute. D.C. rode out a brief Harbour View rally after halftime, then struck for three goals in five minutes beginning with Luciano Emilio's left-footer in the 62nd minute."
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "United controlled the flow of play from the start and Harbour View had only one thing on their minds. Penalties. Harbour View sat 8 or 9 players behind the ball to stop the penatrating runs and decisive passes from the United offense. "
SoccerAmerica Daily, Paul Kennedy: "Santino Quaranta, signed as a free agent in the offseason, celebrated his return to RFK Stadium, where he started his promising career as a teenager, by coming off the bench and helping set up the last three goals."
Potomac Soccer Wire, Chris Hummer: " Tonight D.C. United's new look squad clicked...Enter United's new signings – the Gonzalos. Peralta and Martinez, the central defenders, staked a claim tonight in RFK's beautiful new field that will be hard to breech by any team venturing to the nation's capital this year. As dangerous as Harbour View could have been, there was a Gonzalo there to put out the fire. Peralta was omnipresent, dominating every ball that came his way seemingly without breaking a sweat. Martinez was always near by, winning 2nd balls and calmly starting the attacks in the other direction."
Six Yards North, QJA: "The big story here is United's clean sheet. There were no goals due to communication errors, to goalkeeping howlers, to poor positioning, to tactical misalignment, to anything; there were no goals period. Defensive cohesiveness must have been Soehn's big preseason project and it is beautiful. Beautifully surprising, even: where the hell did Martinez come from, getting forward like that?"
DCUMD, Shatz: "So yeah. Are we excited yet? The sky has stopped falling? Sweet."
BlackDogRed, BDR: "Don't get carried away with this win, don't draw too many comprehensive conclusions from this win: United should beat Harbour View handily...Mediate was tested at left back - United obviously likes him and wants to find a role for him, and depth in back is needed, so. Dyachenko came in and clobbered someone unnecessarily.Quaranta: played great, made peace. Honestly, there are flashes of brilliance, of quality, most MLS players don't have. A betting man would still wager that odds are something stupid will go wrong with Quaranta, but at the price of the bet, United was smart to make it."
The Edgell Supporters: "The subs. Mediate (for Burch) did not look comfortable with the pace of the game. Dyachenko (for Gallardo) needs more time to get himself into a game. Santino Quaranta (for Niell) was fantastic. He was quick and he had vision, while everyone else seemed to be hesitant, he went at it. If he can repeat the performance, he could easily be the back up #10 and maybe the holding forward that we need."

The Good

Since I didn't see the game with my own eyes, I'm gonna incorporate some comments from last night...

1. Tom Soehn and the Finish the Game Off First Kids: He makes an offensive substitution, manages his subs and avoids cards, and wing big. Tactically, it sounded as through we were not the same team we were a week ago, something I hoped and predicted, but couldn't be sure of. Good.
2. Marcello Gallardo: Played well with everyone, linked up better with Emilio (important, that.) Commenter Grunthos: "Doesn't charge up the middle nearly as much, preferring to find space where it is granted and then get creative." Different is not bad, and I think we all liked it.
3. Devon McTavish: Commenter Jeremy: "McTavish is doing the best Ben Olsen impersonation that I have ever seen." Last week we hit him for not defending, and this week we were better on the outside. He also didn't play the same way, made runs down the wing for Gallardo, and didn't send the same misplayed balls we complained about previously. Oh, and as an afterthought -- 3 goals from 2 games. Even if they were some easy opportunities, when was the last time we could rely on a wing player to really finish those who isn't named Fred or Ben Olsen?
4. Emilio: A brace, and a sense that he knew how to make his runs better than before. While I know that some complained that he didn't really click until the second half, I heard his name enough to know that he was making runs, and was successful in getting into dangerous positions. Yes, some shots were over the bar, or right at the keeper, but he was clicking and moving. Good.
5. Jaime Moreno: Thanks to the WFED broadcast, we heard Jamie Moreno at half-time, and he sounded good, but I also mean this in a more global sense. At times, regardless of the opponent, there has been criticism that our offense can't function without Moreno in the game. Now, provided the Vinge singularity doesn't hit, at some point in our future there will be a day without Moreno. So to work without Moreno is a good sign, and better to hear him coming back.
6. Marc Burch: Here's what I heard "Scarlet sends a ball-in, and Burch clears it with his head up to [Gallardo/Fred/Simms]" I like to hear that.
   
7. Center Defense (And outside too!): Click any link above, and read glowing testimonials about the defensive work by the Gonazalos, and Burch, and Namoff. Good.
8. Santino Quaranta: I will not back away from what I said, but to not acknowledge a good effort here would be a crime. Commented rke: "Tino did nicely off the bench. Really gave us some exciting plays, leading to a couple goals. Class act coming to Brava after the match, swapping jerseys, etc.. Seems all is forgiven." -- Not yet. I'm with Jeremy: "Two assists for Tino, and I didn't see anything glaringly awful from him. I'm not in love with him yet, but I don't hate him anymore. Keep up the good work Tino."

The Bad

I do not have the heart to write anything here. 5-nil does that. Let it go.

Man of the Match

Devon McTavish.

Karma Bank

N/A

Final Thoughts

The goal, as we have always maintained, was that United should advance through this first round. That they have done. Now, I'm not convinced that they must advance in the next round. A nice to have, but not a true pass/fail test. The point being that United did what we hoped they would do -- They played a different game in the second leg than the first, they showed progress towards gelling as a new team, they are defending well in the back, starting with Wells, and moving forward. This is what we want to see, but it is not a gurantee. All I can say is that "Yes, United is where it should be, or perhaps a little ahead." But the season is long, the other competitions will come after injuries or other setbacks, and we know we can't crown ourselves with any given trophy yet.

But we're still in the running for all of them.

First Impressions - D.C. United 5 : 0 Harbour View FC

D.C. United 6 : 1 Harbour View FC [Aggregate]
D.C. United Advances to the CONCACAF Champion's Cup Semifinal

There are many ways to enjoy a game. The best is to witness it in person, in good seats, surrounded by those who share the love. The second best is on TV, intensely, scrutinizing each detail, rewinding the TiVo to examine the a back heel as though it were the Zapruder film. A distant third is on MLSLive.TV, where the screen size affects the ability to examine the shape of the game in a general sense, but still allows you to evaluate, to judge, and enjoy. Not really workable is listening on radio. And listening to the radio webcast while in Detroit (where it is cold, a dampy awful cold) and your team starts to put on the clinic? Worst of all.

The problem with radio is the single method of input you get. You are dependent on the evaluations of others entirely. Was it a nifty move, or poor defending? There is no reason to doubt Mr. Limarzi's descriptions, but there's no way to really verify that things are as they are. I may well be relying on each of you to help with the debriefing to set me straight.

That being said, I get the sense that things were very different tonight. And I could tell they were different sometime in the tenth minute onward. Yes, when the first words I heard were "and it's a long ball out of the back from United" I did curse. What, again? We had returned to RFK just to play the same type of game I swore I wouldn't see again? Would I have to find a crowbar and meet Tom Soehn in a back alley? But over the next minutes, it became clearer that United was mixing things up. Long, short, medium. That United was using its possession to generate chances. That Emilio and Gallardo were finding each other easier. That Harbour View could still counter, but wasn't finding the going on the wings nearly as easy as the last match. And then the one goal before half time, Gallardo to McTavish, and things were promising. Still, it was that kind of promising that felt like United might have managed to make things go right, but could still find some fluke way to lose. It wasn't comfortable. But at 2-0, when Emilio put one in, it felt like things were destined. At 3-0 it was time to dare fate. At 4-0, thanks to D.C. United's current leading goalscorer Devon McTavish (50% of the United offense), things were ridiculous. Then 5-0. And it felt like, well, yes, this is what I want. Not what I expect. I expect, given pre-season form and the other caveats, a win, but only just a win. A blowout, and one that while the score may flatter United, it flatters United only in the same a nicely tailored dress flatters an otherwise beautiful woman: It's just that much more. It is a nice feeling.

United's last loss of the 2007 campaign happened when I was in Buffalo. It was raining then, as I recall. And as I look out into the night from my hotel window, I can see the rain has stopped. Maybe for the first time in many months. And the game is back on.

(Debrief tomorrow, but I may need your help given that I couldn't really see it with my own eyes. But my sense is that everyone I put in the "Bad" column last week makes the good column this week.)

Debriefing for Match 13.A.01: At Harbour View F.C.

Harbour View F.C. 1 : 1 D.C. United

Six Word Novel Recap

The season's started. Tell the players.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "Devon McTavish scored for United just before halftime, but Lovell Palmer volleyed the equalizer past goalkeeper Zach Wells to leave the total-goals series even heading into the final leg Tuesday night at RFK Stadium."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "D.C. started out brightly, switching play from side to side and probing the Harbour View back line. But the MLS side was hit by two injury blows in quick succession starting in the 14th minute. First Moreno pulled up clutching his hamstring after chasing after a ball deep in the Harbour View penalty area, immediately signaling the bench for a substitution. Then goalkeeper Zach Wells took a boot to the head as he raced off his line and smothered a through ball at the feet of Richard Edwards, who seemed to leave his foot in a dangerous position as he moved past the prone netminder. After receiving treatment, the dazed Wells was able to continue, but Moreno gave way to another new South American, Argentinos Juniors loanee Franco Niell."
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "Despite it being United's first match of the season, they had decent control of the flow of play throughout the first half only being halted by a series of rough tackles that resulted in yellow cards to two Harbour View players...The second half was pretty similar to the start of the game in that United was the better team for the first 20 minutes but then Harbour View started to pile on the pressure."
The Fullback Files: "United looked rough, but you pretty much could have predicted that with the crappy pitch on offer and the lack of match sharpness for United coming in. Regardless, I thought we'd show a little better than that."
BlackDogRed, BDR: "No broad generalizations on the fate of the season from a first disorganized 90 minutes of determined refusal to build through the middle, but if Soehn's great brainstorm with all his new talent is to play every ball over the top like some relegation threatened Wearside team, jeebus fuck, he could have done that with last year's talent. You spend the designated player spot on a ball-distributing ten and craft a strategy of running the offense over him?"
DCUMD, Shatz: "All in all, not an unfair result when you consider its our first competitive match with this team and they've been playing together for months. And we were missing our two emotional leaders."
Fighting Talker, Aaron Stollar: "What I didn’t like...No wide play. United left Emilio fairly isolated with a lack of decent crosses. Yes, the goal was a result (indrectly of a cross) but the two wingers Fred and McTavish needed to be more involved and they weren’t" [Note: Word. See below]
QuarterVolley, I-66: "Work in progress. That’s the way to describe this team right now. "
Six Yards North, QJA: "The most important thing I noticed was the slow pace to the game. It seems United is struggling to shake off its preseason mentality. Players were walking at every opportunity and there were far too many lackadaisical balls over the top."
Soccer Insider, Steve Goff: "The first two results were satisfactory for the visiting MLS sides, who will head home for the second legs of the Champions' Cup quarterfinals next week"

The Good

1. Frank O'Neal: Came into the game ahead of schedule, but I thought did very well. He seems to be two things: Fast and Small. And he was good, it was his hustle that brought us to the goal.
   
2. Clyde Simms: Thought he had a wonderful game at midfield, a disruptive force
   
3. Center Defense: Seemed decent for most of the game, giving up a goal on a set piece but I don't fault any of the new acquisitions for that. Stollar and I are in agreement that Burch and Namoff were most at fault.
   

The Bad

1. Ef the SC: Reading around the blogs, it seems to have been concluded that Lifton and Fullback posted the definitive critique of Fox Soccer Channel's myriad mispronunciations. I agree with everything they said, and urge you to read their litanies. In response, I propose to now pronounce Caligiuri as Caligula.
   
2. Tom Soehn and the Safety First Kids: Again, I don't think out tactics last night will be the same as our tactics the rest of the year, but last night was not particularly fun to watch. Long balls over the top is ugly football, but I understand the reason for it. More concerning for me was a lack of recognition that Harbour View's late game threat wasn't something that would solved by adding Dan as another holding midfielder. The direct move would have been to take off Fred or McTavish for a better defending wing player (Kirk? Tino if his defense really has improved?) And that's assuming you agree with the idea of just trying to hold the lead, which many of you do not (although here, I differ, feeling that the motivation is sound, it was just the execution that was suspect).
   
3. Marcello Gallardo: A marginal call here. It wasn't so much that he was bad, but that we seemed to be playing a system that reduced his role to Marco Etcheverry 2001 (let me hit a thirty yard pass and see if you can run it down.) I expect more. I expect our tactics to show us more. His first free kick was pretty nondescript. His second was quite nice. I am excited, but I don't think we really saw much last night.
   
4. Devon McTavish: Yes, he got the goal. And he did well after blocking a team mate's shot to get that goal. But for most of the night, he was invisible, even on defense, and that's simply not acceptable. Fred was compartively better, so Fred's off the hook on this one.
   
5. Emilio: If he's going to get the captain's armband, then even when teams are taking him out of the game he's got to assert himself.
   
6. Jaime Moreno: Not his fault that he pulled up lame, but not encouraging either.
   
7. Marc Burch: Got caught twice deep in our end with the ball, and that's simply not acceptable. I want to see a step forward in his game, and it wasn't there last night.
   

Man of the Match

N/A

Karma Bank

Not applicable, but it was I'd fine us 1 karma for a generally listless performance.

Final Thoughts

I do enjoy writing these again. I really do. And while I'm disappointed, I'm not furious. As I wrote last night, I can't imagine this is how we'll play the entire year. I have to believe we made a tactical decision last night to play as we did, and that the second leg at RFK will see an entirely different type of game.

Like Stollar, I am concerned about the lack of wing play. I hinted at this last night, but even when we had control at the top of the box, it seemed too often the through balls on the flank were going to Namoff. I love Namoff, but I'd prefer to see crosses or penetration in that area from Fred or Kirk or someone whose job is to get forward. Gallardo played the ball long decently, but I did not see a recognition that our lack of width was an issue last year, or that we've taken any tactical steps to address it.

So... neither bad nor good but thinking makes it so. Preseason form was in evidence, but we can not use that as an excuse. If we allow ourselves to think that way, we are only creating excuses for a loss, and not a reason for a win. I want a win.

First Impressions - Harbour View FC 1 : 1 D.C. United

Aggregate after first leg - D.C. United 1 : 1 Harbour View FC

As much as I said there should not be excuses for the "pre-season mentality," there certainly seemed quite a bit of rust on the United team. United showed moments of true class, and moments of out and out confusion. Things aren't right yet. The play is not there. Gallardo may have been handed the keys to the offense, but that doesn't mean the transmission is an automatic, to stretch a metaphor too far. Still, you can see some very encouraging signs, and some disturbing ones.

Let's start tactically. If I have this right, Tom Soehn entered this game remembering conditions from last year in Honduras. He did not like the field, and figured he was in for much of the same in terms of an uneven pitch. Given that Harbour View might already take a counter-attacking mentality, I imagine he decides to hedge against costly possession mistakes in midfield by playing long balls over the top, bypassing midfield or having Gallardo come back to the top of the defensive third to start the direct movement. As a strategy, I think there's something to be said for this on a tactical basis, but I can not imagine this is how we'll play all year. So to some degree, I'm discounting this game because I don't really thing we've seen the typical United game-plan. This is not who we are.

That being said, as a tactical move it worked. While MacTavish will get credit for the goal, the real story on that play was a long ball that Frank O'Neal (n&eamp; Franco Niell) tracked down and neatly pushed back to Fred. It was a nice move, showcasing a potential weapon and tactic we haven't seen much of. It worked.

The problem was the wing situation. MacTavish, despite his goal, was not particularly effective on the wing. Fred was marginally better, but Emilio was clearly having difficulty with service and space. The wings were largely ignored, and the few times United did get forward on the flanks, it was frequently Namoff and Burch who had moved into those spaces.

Defensively, I was encouraged. Wells had good command of his box and answered his tests well. You can argue that he should have left his line to punch out the corner that ultimately resulted in the late HVFC goal, but given the sheer number of bodies, I'm not convinced he could have fought his way through to the point of attack. He made a decision, and it seemed a legitimate one. I do not fault him on the goal, but I do fault the inability of Namoff or Burch to get into that scrum and clear the ball out. Still, for the most part, the center defense played well. The outside, a little less so, and there were some Erpen-esque moments of being too cute with the ball at our feet.

United is not in form, but that can not be an excuse. At best, it is a failing, and by the second leg at RFK it must be dealt with. Still, I think the quality of the field at RFK may see a different set of tactics employed, and I look forward to seeing that.

The Debrief is tomorrow.

Match Briefing for 13.A.01: At Harbor View

Match #: 13.A.01 -- CONCACAF CHAMPION CUP QUARTERFINALS

Six Word Novel Preview:
They built the team for this.

Opponent:
Harbor View FC
2006-2007 Premier League Champions (Jamaica)

TV: 12 March 2008, Fox Soccer Channel, 8PM

Radio: WFED 1050AM

Previous Meeting:
2005 CONCACAF Champions Cup, Quarter Finals, DC United 4 : 2 Harbour View (Aggregate)
[9 MAR 2005] D.C. United 2 (Eskandarian, Gros) : 1 Harbour View FC (Shelton)
[16 MAR 2005] Harbour View FC 1 (Stewart): 2 D.C. United (Walker, Moreno)


The Stakes:

Let me give some belated credit to Shatz, who did hypothesize early that many of the offseason moves were to make United more competitive in international play. So it is appropriate that United is instantly facing international competition in its first match. Last year's squad did what had to be done, and the stakes are the same for this year's team. United must win in its first round match-up, and failure would be even more disappointing than a failure would have been last year. This should be the start of a Champions' Cup run, not the mid-point.

For Harbour View FC, the season has seen a few troubling fixtures for them recently. They are 12 points back of Portmore after some disappointing results, and a win here could build on the recent success of their two last league games. To some degree, I think they feel that the 2005 contest was closer than the final scoreline would indicate, especially after drawing level in the second leg three years ago. They will be up for this game, both for revenge and for their season.

Previews from the DCUniverse:
QuarterVolley

Expectations:

United should look like the more likely of the two sides to go through after tonight's game. If it's a win, so much the better. A draw but good form to build on is also a potential likely, and acceptable outcome. A United loss, even away, would be troubling, and a multiple-goal loss would be distressing. Last year was about demonstrating that MLS teams have no excuse to go out this early, least of all United. Unless we all suffer collective amnesia and are running around in animal skins yelling "Miramani!" then we must keep that in mind judging this match. We hold this team to an elevated standard.

What to look for?

• The big question: How will Gallardo run the offense? We've heard that United is still a possession team, but if that possession results with silly plays up the middle, how much has changed? Will Gallardo use the wings better than Gomez, and with that implied width find ways to take on defenders and beat them? That's one thing to look at.
• Who starts on the wing? Some of Moose's few minutes last year came in Champions' Cup play, but with Olsen out, the indications from camp seem to be that Tino and Fred are your wingers. Watch for this.
  
• How well in the center of defense organized? With a completely revamped center back set and keeper, watch to see how good the communication among those three players (I'm assuming a 4-4-2, which may be faulty) is set up. This is probably not the easiest environment to get this right in, which means it is a good test. On set pieces from the corner and around the box, I am especially interested to see how this works.
• Who starts up top? Emilio is a given. Does Moreno start, or Niell? My guess is Jamie, but let's also check his minutes.
  

I see a ship in the Harbour

D.C. United will take on Jamaican team Harbour View in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champion's Cup. You may remember this as the team United faced in the 2005 CCC, where United won both legs 2-1 before crashing out against UNAM Pumas.

Over at An American's View, Brian Garrison tries to get ahead of the expectation setting game:

So how do I think DC United will do in this tournament? Honestly, I have no idea. I don't know because it seems as if we are in for a major roster restructuring that really has yet to take shape as of today. Yes, we have already lost a starting defender and are on the verge of losing our starting goalkeeper, but according to other sources, there should be some rather large changes in the club that will happen next month for sure. As we don't even know who will be in our starting 11, or really even have a good idea, I don't know how we will do in the tournament. I don't think we will do any worse than the Semi-Finals, but who really knows.

He's correct in one sense, in that United's roster will likely still not yet be finalized by the time of the first round. Let's not forget that Fred wasn't integrated into the line-up when United faced Olimpia of Honduras last year. But, let me restate my position from last year which remains unchanged: MLS teams should advance in the first round of this tournament. If an MLS team loses in the first round, it is not the kind of disappointment you can dismiss with "they weren't in form yet." It doesn't matter. I expect, regardless of whether our roster is finalized or not, a win over two legs. In fact, I demand it.

As for the semi-finals, that will be another story.

Tuesday's Tryptophan Fighting Coffee

So The DCenters is awakening from our turkey slumber and we are realizing that we missed some news bits the past couple of days. If you joined your friends and family in giving thanks and skipped out on your DC United fix for some good home cooking this is the post to get you (and us) caught back up.

Carroll No Longer with DCU: Yeah, we saw this one and probably should have said a few words. San Jose taking Brian was expected, what was not expected was that he would be traded to Columbus for Kai Kamara. Either way we would just like to echo Dave Kaspar's comments,

"Brian has been a model professional on and off the field for D.C United, and we thank him for his five terrific years at the club."

Carroll was never a fan favorite at United but when he was on he made every other players job easier and made it possible for them to wow the crowd and please the fans. Clyde has basically been the starting D-Mid since the 2007 All-Star break, and Carroll was never as good in 2007 as he was in years past, but his service to DC United has been crucial to the success they have had since 2004. Only Moreno, Etcheverry, Olsen, Williams, Pope, Agoos, Namoff and Prideaux have played more minutes for United than Carroll.

Veron Rumors Pick Up Steam: Goff is hearing reports that a decision might be coming by December 15th. This would be an interesting move for United. I don't know how it will play out, but it could have interesting ripple effects in player moves, locker room cohesion and goals for next season.

CONCACAF Champions Cup: Six of the eight teams in the 2008 CONCACAF Champions Cup are set. CD Montagua, Deportivo Saprissa, Harbour View, Pachuca, DC United and the Houston Dynamo are already in the competition. CSD Municipal and LD Alajuelense are fighting for the third Central American spot which will be decided on December 4th, while the second Mexican spot will go to the winner of the Apertura. The Apertura season is down to four teams as Santos will play Pumas and Chivas will meet Atlante in the semifinals. So DC United could face Chivas yet again, though betting money has to go to Santos at this point. Goff is reporting that the dates for the first leg of the CCC are March 11-13 (first leg) and 18-20 (second leg). So that is when the off season ends.

DC United 2007 Player Grades: UnitedMania has given out player grades for the 2007 season. For the most part I agree with these grades. The grades seem to be given out based on expectations, making Burch one of the two people with an A, but overall it is a solid analysis.

Joe Machnik Interview: Kenn.com has a great interview with MLS’ Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner for On-Field Competition (wow, thats a long title) Joe Machnik. Basically Dr. Machnik is the guy in the MLS' organization that deals with the referees. The interview covers the entire officiating gamut and every MLS fan should read it.

MLS Blows Decision by Blowing the Galaxy: Ives reports on the decision by the honchos at MLS HQ to grandfather the contracts of Landon Donovan, Eddie Johnson and Carlos Ruiz so that their teams would not need to make them Designated Players to keep them. Basically they changed the rules halfway through the game...again. Frankly I thought MLS was beyond this, but I guess not. More than anything else in US Soccer, tampering like this is the thing that pisses me off the most.

2010 World Cup Qualifying: The draw was held on the 25th. The US will play the winner of Dominica and Barbados. Assuming they win that game they will be drawn into a group that will probably consist of themselves, Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago and Guatemala. Assuming no upsets the Group B will be Mexico, Honduras, Jamaica and Canada while Group C will consist of Haiti, Panama, Guyana and Costa Rica.