Debriefing for Match 14.10: At C.D. Chivas USA

C.D. Chivas USA 2 : 2 D.C. United

Six Word Novel Recap

"Way to avoid losing!" Now win.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "United staged another stirring comeback Saturday night, scoring twice in the final 13 minutes to earn a 2-2 tie with Chivas USA and extend its unbeaten streak in league play to six. "
Goal.Com, Zac Lee Rig: "A goal and an assist from Santino Quaranta leveled the game at 2-2 after Chivas USA took a first half lead and looked to have all three points wrapped up."
LAist, Angel Magana: "Galindo broke in on the United goal after a missed offside call and easily beat D.C. 'keeper Louis Crayton to give the L.A. side the lead at the 25th minute. "
DailyBreeze.Com, Phil Ball: "In the 43rd minute, after Crayton had knocked away two crossing passes - including one off Braun's head - Harris sent in a cross from the left. Lillingston, charging in, beat defender Marc Burch to the ball and headed it in before Crayton could reposition himself, making it 2-0. "
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "United subbed in midfielder Fred to start the second half and right away the team started to press the issue. United was unable to take advantage of their new found confidence as Chivas USA’s defense held firm. Christian Gomez was the next sub to come in and he too injected a bit of life into United only to see Jaime Moreno’s semi-breakaway fall away easily when he decided to try and lay off to Emilio instead of taking the better option of going straight in on Thornton."
MLSNet, Luis Bueno: "Quaranta and Emilio combined on D.C.'s first goal as Emilio re-directed a shot from Quaranta off the left post and across the goal line. Quaranta took care of the second goal himself as he fired a shot from nearly an identical angle."
MLSNet, Jeffrey King: "'Once again, we showed the character that we've shown all year,' said United head coach Tom Soehn. 'No matter what happens, we're going to fight through adversity. Sometimes the adversity is the officiating, sometimes it's the opponent. You have to fight through it and today we did a great job of doing that.'"
DCUMD, Shatz: "The more I watch Dejan Jakovic, the more he looks like a top level MLS center back. Yet we give up two or more goals in virtually every match. It sure feels like our back line is better than what we had last year, but that isn't showing in our goal's against column."
Fullback Files, Fullback: "...questions will have to be asked of Soehn about starting Olsen. Maybe if Jacobson was fully fit, he would have started regardless, but you just hope Benny didn't set himself back a couple of weeks by trying to go for this match."
BLCKDGRD, BDR: "Stirring comebacks are going to end eventually. I'd like United win 0-2 on the road for a change, win 2-0 at home for a change. Stirring comebacks give a team confidence, give ruby fans like me enthusiasm, but needing a string of stirring comebacks is as bad a sign as good, yes? "

The Good

1. Going for it all the way: If, in the past, I have written in anguish about Tom Soehn packing it in, especially on the road, I must take it back here. United did come out to play this match, perhaps knowing that Chivas was too good not to score at some point, and knowing that it would be damned difficult to come from behind. That United managed to come from behind anyways is, at least, partially a product of attacking early. This team knew what was working in attack, and pressed it harder the second half.
2. Santino Quaranta: A goal and an assist is a good evening, but the nature of both were excellent. The cross in to Emilio was a classic dangerous ball even had Chivas been able to get a foot on it. The goal, which despite Gomez's protestations I'm pretty sure was Tino's alone, was excellently placed. Tino's season seems to get better as time goes on.
3. Dejan Jakovic: Really, he was placed in intense pressure, and held up. It is very conforting to see. I want to see more of Janicki, but I also realize that Dejan was won the role he has now, and you just can't sit him down.
4. Fred: It could have been coincidental that his substitution for Pontius (who had a decent, but not stellar match) led to start of United turning the heat back up. It could have been, but Fred was doing quite a bit of good posession and short passing work. He was holding balls exactly where Pontius was having trouble, and for that alone he deserves a rare call out this season on the good side.
   

The Bad

1. Louis Crayton, You're Not Getting that Call: Mark Geiger was more than willing to let incidental contact go from the first whistle. So even after legitimately taking an elbow in the box that should have been ruled a foul, you need to get back up again. Which Louis did, but only after flopping for a good four seconds, a four seconds he needed back.
2. The Ben Olsen Start, and the Ben Olsen Injury: Bootsy from the comments: "Put simply, even if Klestjan was playing, even if playing w/o Olsen meant we had only a 1% chance of coming away with any kind of a result, you *still don't play him*. Getting a result in this match was never so important that it was worth sacrificing Olsen for a month or more -- something eminently predictable from past history." This is not even old history, this is last season. United had a dependence on old players at pretty much every position. And the injuries and missed games killed United. If anything, this entire season has been somewhat of a reaction to last season, and rightfully so. To miss that for this game is utterly ridiculous. And, what's more, this comes after the Clyde Simms substitution debacle from earlier in the year. At this point, it's hard to see how this doesn't become a running trend.
   
3. Christian Gomez: Just as I wrote above how it wasn't coincidental how Fred improved United, I think it is something coincidental for Gomez. He didn't seem to provide anything that hadn't previously been on the field. Yes, you see the substitution, and yes, the minute marker for the sub is before the two goals, but I don't see any causation there.
   

Officiating Watch

So, we know the AR missed the call that led to the first Chivas goal. And Mark Geiger didn't call Crayton getting fouled in the box. So I should be livid, but I am not. Geiger's call was completely consistent with the rest of his match officiating, so his own performance would rate a "3 - Average" I'm knocking it down one point based entirely on the AR performance.

Likert Scale Grade: 2 - Below Average

Karma Bank

According to my unpublished notes, United burned one karma in Toronto when the hand ball against Wynne was called. Not that it wasn't the right call, but it is a call that United was still fortunate to receive. Now, United could have lost this match, or won it, so the karma is pretty much free to go in any direction. But given how the first goal of the game so clearly shook things up, it's hard for me to say that it doesn't merit the full change from a 1 point draw to a three point win, so I'm going to say that Karma bit us for two points in this match. With a 2 point defecit, we have paid back the previous fortune received. +2 for the game, EVEN for the season.

Man of the Match

You want me to pick to Tino. I do too, but ultimately I'm not awarding a MOTM for this game. Yes, Tino had moments, but the defense also did well in conceding only one legitimate goal. The comeback was spurred throughout the field, so I will instead award Merit to Tino, Jakovic, Fred, and Tom Soehn for the style of play and second half moves. Notes of Censure to Crayton, Burch, Namoff, and Soehn, for the move of starting Ben Olsen in a bad position.

Final Thoughts

What does depth for this team truly mean? There was a long discussion at the Untied Mania podcast on whether Tom Soehn knows what his Best XI are. In my mind, he should purposefully never think that way until August. Injuries, suspensions... something will change it, and if you get set on a best XI you may not have the mental flexability necessary to adjust to adversity. Instead, keep the rotation on, keep the roster moving. It may alienate someone at some point, but the wheel turns all the time. By the playoffs you can have the luxury of determining of the best XI, but not now.

Further, while United has depth in terms of numbers, I'm not sure that equals depth in terms of talent. We have a lot of players that are viable starters, but not a lot of players that you can consider prime players at any position. Moreno has had both good and bad games, Emilio may be less streaky than in years past but can also be taken out of a game, our midfield, much as I love Benny, does not strike me as fantastic, our backline is acceptable at best, people are worried about the keeper situation, and our rookies are fine, but not worldbeaters. We have depth in terms of players that are average to good, but no one I would say is in the top 5% of MLS players right now. We may see more players at positions because no United player is truly dominant at any position, to the point of being an everyday starter. I think that's important to remember. It isn't, to may way of thinking right now, a bad thing at all. But we see competition, in part, because our best is not as clearly better as other teams, either within the squad or in comparison to those teams.

As for resiliency, well, if nothing else I will take it. Keep the ridiculous stat going:
UNITED HAS YET TO LOSE WHEN CONCEDING THE FIRST GOAL

First Impressions -- Chivas USA 2 : 2 D.C. United

This is officially ridiculous. United down two goals with 15 minutes remaining, and for the first time this season I actually am thinking "Yeah, but they've come back before from this." Which, if one believes in tempting fate and what not, is exactly when United shouldn't come back. Except, of course, Emilio flips one to the far post, then Tino screams one in from long distance, and United come out of L.A. with a point. And United is the first team to hang a crooked number on Chivas all season.

What's more, of any match this season, this was the match for United to pack it in and throw the pity party. Chivas's first goal was offside. Close? Sure, but we pay linesman to get the call right when it is close, not to screw it up. Then, United has a second goal when Mark Geiger does not call what should have been a clear elbow to Louis Crayton. Two goals that could be put on the officials (the first clearly, the second debatable). Isn't that when you just throw in the towel? Last year, I would have watched the second half in stony faced depression, knowing that we were screwed and there was nothing to be done. Yet this United team fights it all the way back to square. Amazing.

I don't think this can continue all season. Really, I don't. But it's there when we need it, and that's enough.

Now, a word on the officiating. There's a theory that on officiating that "all I ask is that the referee is consistent." Consider this an acid test, as Mark Geiger was fantastically consistent, and very, very loose. To me, it was an acceptable officiating job over all. But is that the right standard? Not sure.

We now have another U.S. Open Cup match, and the match I consider the key to this month against RSL. It is a team that is worth watching all the way through, for every minute. Make sure you pad those TiVo times by 30 minutes... just in case.

Debriefing for Match 13.08: At Chivas USA

Chivas USA 3 : 1 D.C. United

Six Word Novel Recap

Early goal... late defeat... final accounting?

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The LA Times, Grahame Jones: "D.C. United rode the talents of former Argentine World Cup midfielder Marcelo Gallardo to a 1-0 halftime lead over Chivas USA... Then, in a thoroughly unexpected turn of events, Chivas USA answered with two late goals from two good players -- Jesse March and Sacha Kljestan -- and then got another from teenager Jorge Flores to come away with a memorable 3-1 Major League Soccer victory."
The Washington Post, Steve Goff: " It happened so suddenly and without any warning."
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "United now has lost all four road matches this season and have been outscored 11-1 in those games. To add insult to injury this was the first ever win over United for Chivas USA in six matches."
MLSNet, Danny Bueno: "Marcelo Gallardo had put the visitors ahead in the 30th minute with a tremendous goal and D.C. United looked ready to take advantage of an injury-depleted Chivas USA squad that was missing nine players, including their entire starting defensive backline."
MLSNet, Luis Bueno: "Marsch finally gave the home crowd something to cheer about in the 73rd minute. Harris tried but failed to reach a loose ball inside the penalty area. Wells, though, dived and failed to collect the ball. Marsch ran onto the ball and softly slipped it into the back of the goal. Kljestan continued the late offensive surge. Harris tracked down a bouncing ball on the right flank and slipped a well-placed ball to the center of the box. Kljestan ran onto the ball and tucked it into the back of the net before heading toward a pocket of United supporters and karate-kicking his way toward a celebration."
Booked For Dissent, Dave Lifton: "United allowed themselves to get beat because they had no response to Chivas’ physicality. Instead, they got scared every time a Chivas player got near them, which led to cautious, hesitant play, resulting in turnovers. "
You Are My Minions, Landru: "It's also, not at all coincidentally, time to note the major role that awesome goalkeeping has played in DCU's success lo these many years. Great DCU teams had memorable keepers--Scott Garlick, Tom Presthus, Nick Rimando, and it appears all-too-briefly, Troy Perkins. Semen Wells is on a track to be the wrong kind of memorable. Except a keeper doesn't stay on that track long enough to become truly memorable."
DCUMD, Shatz: "I was all ready to come on here and give Tom Soehn props for putting together a good starting lineup that played really pretty well for 30 minutes. But that's about as far as it went. Because the tactical decision to sit back and defend a single goal lead has NEVER WORKED in this league...So we might as well start the countdown. If this persists, and there's no reason to believe that anything will change over the next few days, it will be exactly one week from today that Tom Soehn will be out of a job. That's Sunday May 25. And that will already be too late."
An American's View..., Brian Garrison: "It might be just as bad a situation if United replaces Soehn during this stretch as opposed to waiting until June. I really cannot see the club getting any better with Soehn at the helm. Maybe it is time for him to go down with his ship?"
BlackDogRed, BDR: "It's entirely plausible that Soehn is doing a shitty job, but I don't think it possible, or fair, to determine with any accuracy how shitty a shitty job he's doing considering what crappy tools he has at his disposal. What if Soehn is getting all that can be gotten out of these mutts?"
BehindTheBadge, The Management (feat. Tom Soehn): "But the first half I thought we had a game plan and we stuck to it, we were hard to play against, we got our goal. In the second half they came out with a bit more intensity and I don’t think we handled it well." [NOTE: And did you have a game plan in the second half? Did you stick with it? C'mon now... -D]

The Good

1. Gallardo's Goal: In a season starved for highlights, it was a good one. Not like his volley against RSL, but good none-the-less. I'm glad Behind The Badge has it up for you to watch. Really. Watch it, and pretend the entire game was like that. You might even come to believe it. We have always been at war with Chivasia.
   
2. Bryan Namoff: Another game where he was running his shorts off for most of the match. He makes mistakes, he gets beaten, but damn if he isn't trying. There was always talk of handing the armband to Ben Olsen at some point, but perhaps Ben should turn around and hand it to Bryan.
3. Atmosphere in the Corner: If we stipulate that certain Calvinists are right, and that there is an elect number of people that go to heaven come the Rapture, then certainly the brothers and sisters I was fortunate to join at the Home Depot Center have done enough to earn their place come Armageddon.
   

The Bad

1. Analysis from the Corner: Really, it's damn difficult to make sense of the game from down there. Even without the alcohol, you just don't have a good look at the game. That being said...
2. Aren't We Supposed to Play With the Lead? Yeah, let me say something I think I said on the UnitedMania Podcast. There's an old baseball maxim, I think attributed to Earl Weaver, that "If you play for the one run inning, that's exactly what you'll get." I think that also applies to us in the second half - "If you play not to score a goal, you'll succeed."
   
3. Using the Field: Ryan Cordeiro proved he's a standout in the reserve games, but never seemed to fully grasp his role in how to occasionally use both the left and right flanks.
   
4. LTJG Zach Wells: I was prepared to promote him after his performance against Chicago. Sadly, this performance negates it, as he lets in a dribbler and gives up a rebound. So we'll keep his rank unchanged, for the time being

Officiating Watch

Apparently the ARs had the offsides calls right. Michael Kennedy is a twerp, but no more annoying than any other official.

Likert Scale Grade: 3 - Average

Man of the Match

N/A. Merit award to Namoff. Goat to... Jaime Moreno, who never seemed to do what a captain needs to do. He's the one who should be harassing the ref, not Gallardo. He's the one that needed to give the team a quick reality check in the second half as the field started to tilt.

Adjusted Results

No adjustments.

Final Thoughts

Given this line-up, with the benching of Emilio and others, it had to be looked as a message from Soehn. So I feel that I have to give one game for the message to sink in. But that being said, all I asked for after the Chicago game was good basic soccer. Did you see that? I did for a decent portion of the game, but at the moment when the second half came around, we started making the same mistakes that have plagued us all season. Tom Soehn had a week and a half, even with a new line-up, to figure out how he wanted to simply move the ball around the field, and we couldn't do it in the second half. And that's a problem.

I'll be honest. He's got exactly one game left with me. And then, well, I might make the change. But if we don't do it in the next four games, then let's consign the season.

Shatz is writing that this is a rebuilding season. Well, it is now, but we were promised a shiny new car. It just happens to have been hit by a semi.

One game for Soehn. He's made his last possible move, now we'll see if it works. It's not that I think even that he's the problem, but the only move that can be made now to save the season has his name on it. Make the move, or consign the season to memory.

First Impressions - Chivas USA 3 : 1 D.C. United

It's late, and I've had 45 minutes driving north from the Home Depot Center to think on things, but I'll say this: Tom Soehn is right - This team lacks toughness. But toughness isn't fouls. It isn't yellow cards. It's mental toughness, the courage and precision to execute a turn and clearance as an attacked barrels down on you. It's the ability to push a cross clear to the other side of the field when the 50-50 ball is played too short. It's the heart to run down a ball that's probably beyond your reach but damned if that defender will beat you to the line. And this team doesn't have it.

This team isn't fast, but you can overcome that with toughness. This team isn't tough, but you can overcome that with smart tactical play and players moving to the right places off the ball. But this team isn't smart, and now we're exactly where we are.

United had gone ahead, and had some decent chances on goal (Namoff's header over the bar springs to mind) in the first half. Yet as the night wore on, they ceded more and more of the field to Chivas, and ultimately paid with three goals.

If nothing else, at least Tino Quaranta was the one who actually showed some fight for the shirt, in perhaps the most literal way he could. I was going to wait until August to forgive all, but given that he was the one willing to step up when the rest of the team held back, I forgive him now. He's fighting on the losing side, and that's impressive.

Tom Soehn is right about this team, but he's responsible for this team. Let's get a good night's sleep and check the highlights (especially as I can't believe Chivas was onside for two of those goals, but admittedly I had an awful angle to judge things in the corner of the HDC). Let's think. But then...

But then...

But then I'll know if how I feel now is something other than the momentary depression of a loss, or the sad realization of the what the future is.

Morning Coffee out of the Freezer

FREEZER CALL: Okay, so thinking about it, it makes sense to publish the Freezer on Fridays. There are a few reasons for this, but mainly it allows us to consider the midweek games for the Freezer, and set the table nicely for the weekend. Your recommendations in the comments are most appreciated as we go forward. The previous week's Freezer is here.

OVERSEAS REPORTING: Congratulation to Hoops for keeping the Scottish race alive. Kevin G and his gang have been good friends to us, so we're glad to see some good fortune go the way of his lot. Further, the official Unibond Premier League team of the DCenters, Gateshead F.C., are solidly in with a shot at promotion, as they currently sit third in the standings, which puts them in the playoff (if I understand the promotion system at this level correctly).

SEE ANYTHING YOU LIKE? Sideline Views reports that Chivas is interested in a D.P., having traded away their D.P. rights to New York. Let's see, what teams haven't used their Designated Player allocations? Oh wait, didn't we get one from Colorado for Christian Gomez? I'm not sure if we could trade it, but if we could, and this is just speculation, is there anything you might want out of Chivas? There's some talent on that squad...

Life Imitated Satire: Morrisey is a Chivas Fan

I saw this noted briefly at DuNord, but Kyle Guftason of Information Leafblower (and many DCist posts and photo galleries) sent us this link that proved Morrisey is a CD Chivas USA supporter. Of course, if you're a regular reader of the DCenters, you got the information directly from the man himself back in May of this year. Hilarity ensues.

Coffee for the rest week

A few notes and such, and then I have some posts I want to write during this brief moment when we're out of the constant stretch of games and can broaden our vision for a moment (before narrowing it for the final five regular season matches):

UNITED ACQUIRE MONTEIRO: The interesting thing here is the phrase "conditional pick." Typically, this means a pick that depends on the amount of playing time Monteiro will see. However, United does not have a #1 pick in the 2008 Superdraft (we traded that to Toronto to get Dyachenko back), which means that at best we traded a second round pick for someone that was drafted in the first round. More likely, the value of this pick will be between the third and fourth rounds. Now, is that a bargain? Probably not. Monteiro was a bit of a reach as a first round pick, he never made Carrick's list of the top 10 strikers, and JoeSoccerFan's analysis of the draft admired his instincts but hated his finishing. Whatever United traded for him is probably closer to his true value on draft day than the first round selection would have indicated. And that's before he's had a season's worth of evaluation with an MLS side.

That being said, both Kpene and Addlery may be made a bit nervous by this. Addlery is the most likely to be displaced: Monteiro is a bit younger and Addlery, and my impression is that Kpene has shown better in his time with the first team. The only reason that Kpene might be a bit nervous is that Guy-Roland Kpene is taking a Youth International slot which Monteiro would not.

WEEKEND RESULTS: Nice to see Chivas drop a few points against Colorado (Credit-where-it-is-due note: I-66 saw this in the cards. Still, United is playing with less than a one game margin of error in its upcoming matches (assuming Chivas wins its remaining game-in-hand on United). While I'm willing to overlook the Chicago match for now, given the number of people out for accumulated cautions, the four games after that may each have must win status in terms of the Supporter's Shield. Especially if United drops points against an improved Chicago side.

And I did watch some tivoed Women's World Cup games. Hooray for the US winning over Sweden, and all of that, but that Germany-England match was my favorite. Tense, cagey, smart soccer with some gaffs to liven things up, as well as some good end-to-end action. If MLS nil-nil draws were as enjoyable, people wouldn't worry about goal scoring so much.

NOTED: RSL blogger RSLFM visited RFK for the United-RSL tilt, and overall had favorable impressions of the match and crowd (except for a run-in with Talon.) A good read. One question: Who let her have an Eagles ticket and wear an RSL jersey? For shame, kids, for shame. (I know, it was the more tolerant 133 section... still, it seems a bit off to me).

Coming up in a bit: The big-lie told by the pointy-ball marketers, and a discussion of the strange quirk in the MLS Playoffs that punishes success.

Debriefing for Match 12.23: At C.D. Chivas USA

C.D. Chivas USA 2 : 2 D.C. United

Six Word Novel Recap

If tired now, think about Sunday.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "On an evening of odd bounces and defensive follies, D.C. United let an early two-goal lead evaporate and settled for a 2-2 tie with Chivas USA on Thursday night before an announced crowd of 9,306 at Home Depot Center."
The L.A. Times, Jaime Cárdenas: "Defender Lawson Vaughn scored the tying goal in the 60th minutes on a shot from inside the box that deflected off United's Clyde Simms."
UnitedMania, Mark Martin: "United looked to be firmly in control of this match as they scored barely three minutes into the match when Emilio struck a pea to the upper 90 after a lovely feed from Moreno. Then when Emilio doubled the lead barely twenty minutes later by pounding a rebound from a Moreno shot into the back of the net, surely the game seemed won...Chivas was denied a clear chance for the full three points in the 90th minute as a Mendoza breakaway was called back for offside in what was clearly a bad call as Brian Carroll was way late in holding the line and obviously left Mendoza by a good two yards."
MLSNet, Luis Bueno: "Chivas USA, though, benefited from a goalkeeper mistake. As D.C. looked for a third goal, Chivas USA's Paulo Nagamura cleared the ball from his own third of the field. The ball sailed toward the top of United's penalty area. Perkins tried to send the ball right back but Razov stepped in front of him. The ball caromed off Razov's midsection and rolled toward the goal line. Perkins scrambled back but the ball had too much pace and he couldn't keep it from crossing the line. Perkins had been struck by misfortune against a red-striped club earlier this year. Facing Chivas de Guadalajara in a CONCACAF Champions' Cup match, Perkins mishandled a long-range shot from Gonzalo Pineda. The ball hit Perkins' hands and floated over his head and across the goal line." [Note: Is there ever a reason not to bring this up anymore? Is this part of the story, except to feed the Chivas Guadalajara machine? For shame, Luis, for shame...]
MLSNet, Andrea Canales: "United saw their six-game winning streak come to an end, but still took a point which pushed them to the top of the MLS overall standings, one point ahead of the New England Revolution - who United plays Sunday at RFK Stadium."
MLSNet, Luis Bueno: "In the 60th minute, Vaughn bagged the equalizer in Chivas USA's 2-2 draw with D.C. United. On the leveler, Vaughn ripped a shot on goal that deflected off United's Clyde Simms and into the back of the net...Never having scored as a pro and having scored seldom in college, Vaughn was at a loss for ideas."
BlckDgRd, BDR: "fatigue kills...There're playing four games in twelve days. If United can push through these last two games of the four and be ahead of Supporters Shield (still a reasonable expectation) it should be considered a successful run, and one way or the other they'll have nine days after Wednesday to rest before their next game. Suck it up for Ningland then rest starters if necessary against Duck Lake."
QuarterVolley, I-66: "While I’m not placing any blame on our back four for the goals, after the Perkins mistake Chivas always looked like drawing level, and probably would have earned all three points had both teams not decided to fold up shop and settle for the draw - a move that didn’t really surprise me from United, but was downright shocking from Chivas."
The Edgell Supporters: "Our team speed is slow, or our team is slow, however you put it, in comparison to Chivas USA we lack speed. Chivas exploited our slow defense and never allowed us time to recover between attacks, credit goes to them for that."
An American's View..., Brian Garrison: "What the hell is wrong with Brian Carroll? That guy gets subbed into the match late, then spends his whole time on the field standing and watch balls roll at him, just to see a Chivas player steal it."

The Good

1. Apparently, we got another early goal: I'm really not sure if this is a good thing. Without radio or ESPN coverage, it's hard to judge how that early goal came. Comments made it sound like it was against the run of play, but once the magic pictures animated my low-def TV set, United looked really decent for about a half-hour. I am a bit worried about the reliance of quick starts. What happens if United goes down a goal, or doesn't get that first goal in the first fifteen minutes? At some point, this will happen (with New England in town, perhaps sooner rather than later). While the MLS Official Stats through yesterday show that United has just as many first half as second half goals, how many of those came with a team pressing for an equalizer?
2. Emilio: Two goals is two goals, and both are trickier goals than they looked in real time. Consider that Chivas had a similar chance to Emilio's first, and sent the ball either over the crossbar or right into Perkins' face. The second was also not the simple garbage goal it might have seemed. Emilio had to lurch awkwardly to his right to get a foot on the ball, and still direct it towards the goal.
   
3. Kevin Stott: I may get in trouble for this, given that most of the DC faithful are not happy with Stott's performance. I thought his biggest problem was playing advantage to United too often (grabbing a player and delaying him enough to force a drop pass is not an advantage) but he called more off the typical ticky-tack fouls that teams enjoy employing against United. Each card was deserved, and his officiating was fair.
4. Boswell's Near Own Goal: Good? Yes. If Boswell lets that go through, it's more likely than not a goal. And the easy decision, the defensible decision, was to let the ball go by. No one could blame Boswell, especially Boswell, for being so worried about the autogolazo if he had decided to not make a play on that ball. Still, from where I sit, his decision to make the play on the ball made sense to me. Yes, there's a large risk of an own-goal, but I'm pretty sure that shot has a 90% likelihood of being buried if Boswell doesn't interrupt the cross. Even if it was a 70% chance of an own goal, that's a good trade. It was a courageous play, and should be noted as such.
   

The Bad

1. Handling the Pace: The Edgell Supporters have a very good point: Chivas is a fast team, faster than United which is not particularly known for handling speed well. The problem is that United insisted on poor passing to exacerbate Chivas's advantage. How often were balls played from the back third to the middle third for a Chivas player to take at almost full speed back at our defense? Too often. This was a decision making problem. Fatigue may play a role in clouding the senses, but United was far too eager to try and start a counter when clean passes weren't present.
   
2. Touch: Fred and Gomez both had awful games when it came to settling the ball. That's an aberration, I think, but it didn't help.
   
3. Tactical Decisions: Not sure about Soehn closing up shop when he did. We waited until the 70th minute before getting people off, and Ben (as I think a commenter noted) was clearly gassed before then. Would have liked to have seen moves starting in the 60th minute.
4. ESPN: Commenters are right. I can't blame them for sticking with the game and not Heidi-ing the college football viewers. But the rest of the game did not atone. And let me take a moment on Dave O'Brien. I think his introduction (or intrusion) on our sport was misperceived by many fans. They saw it as a sign of early disrespect from ESPN that a baseball announcer was being given soccer duties. I don't think it was meant that way at all. Many play-by-play folks can do multiple sports (see: Johnson, Dave). And O'Brien is good at baseball. To me, I think ESPN saw this as a way of investing some talent, of putting someone into the role who could really grow into it. It was, in a way, a sign of respect. But while O'Brien is better at the start, he is at least a long-flight with a layover in Newark away from good. He probably can be a just-below average play-by-play soccer man at best. He has no natural constituency that would like to see him remain. It is time to end this.
   

Man of the Match

Emilio. Merit award to Vanney.

Karma Bank

+2 for the season entering the game. United burns one karma for the fortunate deflection off of Guzan (-1). United is then owed two karma for the Razov butt-shot goal (+2). United then gets a fortunate post to block the Boswell own-goal (-1), and another one karma is burned for the off-side call saving Perkins from a solo situation(-1). That's one karma burned for this match, and +1 for the season. Even with the misfortune of that first goal, I still think we got more luck our way than Chivas did.

Final Thoughts

Before this swing began, I said that 5 points from the Dallas, Chivas, and New England games would be good. We have 4 points, with a maximum possible yield of seven. These games are not disastrous even if we lose against New England. The question is are they mildly disappointing (a loss), acceptable (another draw), or pretty-darn-good (a win.) Personally, while others expect United to hold serve against New England, I think a draw has to be considered a decent result. I have to remind myself to think larger than one game. This result against Chivas felt awful primarily because we went two up and the game got away from us. But as a result, it isn't really bad.

What's more upsetting is for all the talk about learning lessons from the first Dallas draw to the most recent Dallas win, United gave away this game the same way. They played too quickly, and allowed a rival team to use their speed against them. It was almost the exact same situation. If the lesson had sunk in against Dallas, it should have sunk in against the rest of the league.

Yes, I can understand the "look tired" issue. United did have two road games in five days, and will have a home game on Sunday. But it's not like this situation won't reoccur (look at the September to October period when Copa Sudamericana kicks off). BDR says "There is no back-up striker, there is no back-up withdrawn, there is no back-up ten, there are no back-up wings." It makes you wonder. Some players should have been able to step into these roles (well, perhaps not the ten, Dyachenko not withstanding). But Moose and Kpene should be making their influence felt, and aren't. Why not? For all the credit Tom Soehn gets about playing youngsters, I get the sense that he's more comfortable giving young players a chance in defense (Soehn's own role, and perhaps his comfort zone) than in attack. Or perhaps they really aren't training well (Paging Dave Lifton.)

Again, the results are okay, but there's always the chance that the results miss important facts. We survived against Toronto. We did not play well against Chivas. We are unbeaten in six, but we've been convincing in two of those games, acceptable in two, and mediocre at best in two. Maybe that's the way of thing. Maybe I'm always hoping to see dominating performances, and am disappointed when I don't get that. Entirely possible.

First Impressions - CD Chivas USA 2 : 2 D.C. United

United had a two goal lead. United could have lost, might even deserved to have lost, this match. From about the 40th to 65th minutes, United was lost and had conceded all momentum to Chivas. Yes, the initial goal was an unfortunate stroke of bad luck as Perkins banked his clearance off Razov and into the net. But after that moment, Chivas earned all their goals, and perhaps more. Saved by a post from a Boswell own goal. Saved by a poor shot by Galindo. Saved by the assistant referee who unfairly put Chivas off-side. Saved saved saved from an embarrassing result that perhaps was deserved.

What's odd is that the defense wasn't really the problem. Namoff, Boswell, Vanney, and Burch all contributed some key tackles. United was let down by its midfield from about the 30th minute onward. Consistently the ball was played too quickly, or too hard, or simply misplayed in transition right back to Chivas. Blame the poor performance on Fred, on Gomez, on Simms, and on Olsen. Quite simply, by playing inaccurate one touch passes, they allowed Chivas to run at the defense over and over again. It could have been a slaughter. The defense gave up two goals, could have given up more, but given the pressure they were under did the best one can reasonably expect.

Right now, I am not happy. With United, with ESPN's ridiculously poor coverage in terms of delays, and continuing college football, and then fading to black in the final ten minutes, with Tom Soehn for not getting this team prepared for a second half they nearly conceded to the opposition. Yes, even spotted the two goal lead, I feel fortunate United came out with a point.

Debrief in the morning. Maybe I'll be more satisfied with this result once I sleep on it, but I doubt it.

Quick addendum before bed: The defense played well except perhaps Namoff, which is surprising given that he's been pretty good this year. I have little problem with Vanney, Boswell, or Burch.

Brave Prediction on Thursday Night Soccer

With all the hype about this game, it is inevitable - Tonight's game will disappoint most neutral viewers. While both teams will have chances, it will mostly be a cagey affair that treads dangerously close to dull. Low scoring affair, think 1-0 or 1-1, maybe 2-1 on the outside. Hopefully the visitors win. But expect to hear a lot of kvetching about the game tomorrow from all of those whose hopes were for some super-classic match.

The Supporter's Shield Pace Report: August 29, 2007

We've had a few calls (including one today) for an update on the race for the Supporter's Shield, and since we haven't looked at things since May it seems like a good time to do so. We'll start with a league wide look, and then look at the implications for DC United towards the end of this post. For those that aren't familiar with this concept, we essentially envisioned a "pace team" that average 1.9 points-per-game in its results, and then map all the other teams against them. 1.9 was selected since any team since the elimination of the shootout that averaged 1.9 ppg would have won the supporter's shield. In fact, teams have won the shield with less ppg, as in 2004 when Columbus took the shield with only 1.63ppg. However, that's not a safe rate of return, as New England's 2005 return of 1.84ppg probably would have been good enough in any other year, but they lost out to San Jose's blistering 2.0ppg.

Okay, so here's how the teams have played out the season so far. Each week we check their point total against the pace team, and it maps out like this (click for larger view):

No team is on the pace right now, but some are clearly closer than others. D.C. United leads the pack, they're only 1 point off of the pace team through 21 games. There's also some pretty clear grouping in terms of the remaining teams. Given how difficult it is to sustain pace, a team that's the same number of points off the pace as another team but has played more games is probably in better shape than their supposed equal. Therefore, here are the top teams contending for the Supporter's Shield right now, in order:

1. DC United (-1 pt with 21 Games Played [GP])
2. New England Revolution (-2 pts with 23GP)
3. CD Chivas USA (-2 pts with 21 GP)
4. FC Dallas (-4 pts with 21 GP)
5. Houston Dynamo (-6 pts with 23 GP)

For me, Chivas is perhaps the big surprise to see their name up here, but that's how it plays out. There are also a few teams that would require a tremendous run of results in the end of the season to make it, but are still at least remotely possible. New York at -9 pts though 22 GP and Kansas City with -10 pts through 22GP could conceivably put it together, but it would be difficult. The rest of the teams must pin their hopes the MLS Cup or a Superliga finish to get international play next year.

So how will it play out? Just for kicks, here are the remaining schedules for the top 5 contending teams, with bolded games being matches against other top 5 teams that could really affect the race:

D.C. United: @FCD, @CHV, NE, RSL, @CHI, TFC, @KC, CHI, CLB
New England Revolution: @DCU, FCD, @NY, COL, @CHI, CLB, @TFC
C.D. Chivas USA: DCU, NY, LA, @COL, KC, CHI, @RSL, @FCD, COL, HOU
F.C. Dallas: DCU, TFC, @NE, CHI, @LA, HOU, @CLB, CHV, KC
Houston Dynamo: KC, RSL, @LA, @FCD, LA, RSL, @CHV

The big point staring us in the face is how large the next three games loom for United in the quest for the shield. All three have the potential to really set put things in United's favor, or put them in a spot where they are chasing the field without any six point swing games. Same deal for New England. The strength of schedule in the other games is comparable for pretty much all the teams, with perhaps New England having the most difficult and Houston having perhaps the easiest (although they have the most ground to make up of the top 5 right now). No one is running away with things yet. United can also go into the next three games and not be devestated by a draw in any one of them. Right now, draws hurt United less than the other five teams given that United is on top. 5 of 9 points from the next three games would probably be good enough to maintain United as a strong competitor. However, a quick losing streak would really hurt.

So what are we saying? I'm saying that right now the next three consecutive games have larger implications then you might think, especially that Chivas game. United's road gets much easier after that, but will it be easier to maintain their position, or easier to get back atop the table? That'll be the big question. Every game matters.

The Thursday Night Soccer Reviews

Last night was a night I had anticipated heavily, but by the time it was over I felt annoyed that I ever cared about this game. Why? Well...

USA 2 : 1 CAN: Setting aside Canada's disallowed goal (which I don't understand, and if I were a Canadian fan I would feel completely embittered about the entire thing) the US has some glaring problems. In the opening 20 minutes they showed good skill in carving through the Canadian midfield, but never manufactured a great chance off of it. The half chances were all weakly taken shots whose energy had pretty much expired by the time Pat Onstad took them into his arms. If I had to say one thing, it is that the US misses, and has not replaced, Brian McBride. Eddie Pope was pretty much done in 2006 for international play, Claudio Reyna (Ghana game aside) will be replaced by someone, I have no doubt, but Taylor Twellman and Brian Ching do not seem to provide the same ability to take advantage of small chances that McBride did. For all the other International retirements you can see that in four years we could be okay, but not McBride. That's worrisome.

Oh, and Frankie, um... DID YOU SEE LAST YEAR'S WORLD CUP? When the opposing team's talented midfielder head-butts you, YOU FALL DOWN WITH A COLLAPSED LUNG! You don't slap him in the face. Goodness, have we learned nothing?

Let me be honest. Had Canada's goal (and it was a goal) been allowed to stand, they would have found a way to win that game. The USA does not inspire confidence. But... (see part 3).

HOU 4 : 0 CHV: This is usually a focus on ESPN covering the game, so let's start there. It was a decent job from the crew, whose energy was slightly higher than last week. The down moment came when a "30 at 30" update split the screen for a crucial red card decision (one that looks a bit light, but I can't fault the center ref for making it.) Chivas looked out of sorts, and Houston looked dangerous on set pieces but still didn't overwhelm me, despite the score line. Acceptable match, and perhaps the audience enjoyed all the goals. I dunno.

MEX 1 : 0 GDP: The difference between Mexico and the United States right now is that while both teams have been unconvincing, Mexico at least look to be getting better. Not sure I can say that about the US. That being said, Guadeloupe seemed to play them well. There was a concerted effort to not allow Mexico easy chances, and to play defensively in the opening half. I wonder if Guadeloupe actually feared getting a goal before half time, on the theory that it just might wake El Tri up. Probably not, but it felt that way. Still, once they went down a goal, they managed to actually try and press to equalize the game. And the last half hour was fairly enjoyable considering what I had been seeing most of the night. Yet here we are, with the US and Mexico in the final, and neither team really looking like a powerhouse at any point. There should be insecurity on both sides.

Debriefing for Match 12.05: CD Chivas USA

D.C. United 2 : 1 CD Chivas USA

Six Word Novel Recap

Must win ugly before winning pretty.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

Flickr Photoset, Kyle Guftasson.

The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "At a little after 4 o'clock yesterday, early in the second half of D.C. United's fifth match of a disconcerting MLS season, Christian Gomez volleyed a 12-yard shot into the left corner to provide a lead -- not just any lead, but United's first against league competition since the playoff opener last October."
The Washington Times, John Haydon: "Rookie forward Guy-Roland Kpene was given his first start, and midfielder Justin Moose made his second start this season in place of injured Brazilian midfielder Fred. Kpene, who later was substituted by Emilio, rewarded Soehn by earning an assist on United's first goal. "
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "United subsequently displayed more of the fluid passing and pacey approach play their fans have been waiting to see, and were rewarded when second-half substitute Kasali Yinka Casal was brought down by Lawson Vaughn after touching a Josh Gros pass past the Chivas defender just inside the penalty area."
UnitedMania, Jimmy LaRoue: "United needed an alert performance from goalkeeper Troy Perkins, and it got one, as he had an eight saves and was early off his line to thwart other potential opportunities, though his distribution needs work."
LA Times, Grahame L. Jones: "Another defensive miscue in the 64th minute led to the second D.C. goal. With Chivas right back Alex Zotinca momentarily caught up field, central defender Lawson Vaughn had to defend the lively Kasali Yinka Casal and did so in rudimentary fashion by kicking him in the groin."
BlackDogRed: "United is not good at the moment. I shouldn't have to mine my encouragement from a 24 year old reserve who just got his work permit. I shouldn't be worried that United is one Brian Namoff knee-knack from thorough defensive comedy. I shouldn't be wondering if Gomez' slump (despite the goal) is just athletic cycles not contract disgruntlement. I shouldn't be calculating, on May Freaking 6, the points United will need to make a playoff system I consider an abomination."
Poplar Point Perspective: "Perkins was great. He was not at fault on the lone goal."
QuarterVolley, I-66: "I admit that when Chivas pulled one back, I had visions of a 2-2 draw forcing themselves into my conscience. The four minutes of stoppage didn't really help that. A year ago I felt confident with a one goal lead, and this season things are a little different. I should say things were a little different. Yesterday's victory, grabbing a lead and holding on, even if by the skin of our teeth and a Troy Perkins point blank save of a header, goes a long way toward regaining confidence, both of the team and of its fans."
The Offside: CD Chivas USA: "It is time for Preki today and their current showing against DC should be reason enough to get rid of Preki. The team is in disarray; they are making bad penalties and just not playing." [Woah there big guy! I think you are more than a bit premature on that one. I'm all for passionate fans demanding excellence, but that's just silly]
Sideline Views, Luis Beuno: "The offense wasn't clicking, and it wasn't because Amado Guevara was nowhere near RFK. "

The Good

1. They're the Kids in America (A Wo-oh!): Rookies Casal and Kpene both had games that went beyond promising. They were, in fact, quality contributors, and higher praise for players so young in the career I can not think of. Casal was excellent on the ball, and Kpene showed a doggedness that was inspiring in an attacking player. Second year player Justin Moose also showed moments of excellence and made perfect runs that you'd like to see on the flank.
   
2. Getting a Lead: Long time since we've seen that in a regular season game. And proof that the kids on the Soccer Show are right - This team is built to play with a lead and the nurture it.
3. Facundo Erpen refocuses: He was outright burned on one play that I saw. Caught out of position on the United right flank, he tried to scissor kick a through ball which got by him, forcing Carroll over to mark his man. That being said, his positioning and play were much better.
4. The long campaign: There's a lot being said about Tommy Soehn benching people for performance. I don't think it's all that, but rather Soehn is truly adopting a season-long view for this year, trying to do his best to keep everyone's minutes limited and to keep players, especially forwards, somewhat fresh. Emilio was on the bench today, and Jamie went the full 90. Fine. If United makes the playoffs, this will certainly pay dividends.
5. Kevin Stott: After the debacle of Terry Vaughn on Thursday, perhaps anything would look good, but aside form a mysterious incident involving Namoff late in the game, I had little problem with the performance of Stott and the ARs. He was perhaps a bit overgenerous with the advantage calls when he should have pulled a play back, but it worked both ways on that factor. Decent officiating, and kinda sad that such a performance lands you in "the good" for a game, but there you have it.
6. Positioning with Troy Perkins: How many worrying headers and shots were handled because Perkins knew exactly where he had to be? I counted three. Add to that his free kick save where his first step betrayed him before recovering to the near post, and he had as solid a game as I've seen from him.
   

The Bad

1. Christian Gomez: Gomez had an awkward game, several times sending incomprehensible passes to other players. Yes, the goal felt good, but the light didn't seem to turn on after that strike, as he again may some poor turnovers.
   
2. Moosetakes: Justing Moose had a classic "great/awful" game, as he was slicing through the Chivas attack on the wing with some key runs, but a poor shot/pass to Olsen on the far post squandered an early opportunity. Not only that, he had the kind of mistakes that we're all familiar with because we make them. You know that time when you want to make a short pass with tight marking, so you don't want to put too much on the ball so you're teammate can handle it easily? So you go for the delicate pass, and the ball travels about 18 inches, stops, and the defender steps up and takes it the other way? I've done that so often, and he did it last night. Frustrating, especially when other aspects of his game were so good.
   
3. Countering your own counterattack: United several times had options to swiftly counter, but unless things seem to break perfectly they pulled the ball back and were content to try and break down the defense. Primarily Olsen, but also Moreno, contributed to this. Rarely will everything be perfect, and sometimes setting up possession is the right thing to do, but it happened so often that it seemed the fear of making a mistake was motivating the team more than the desire to put a ball in the net.
   
4. Speed is not everything: Josh Gros is a gritty, fast player. Unfortunately, gritty and fast players can also get beat, and Josh was on the goal we gave up.
   
5. That was brilliant. Now, please, never do it again: Erpen with a bicycle backpass thirty yards to Perkins? Maybe I'm naive, but my heart was in my mouth for the duration of that sequence.
   

Man of the Match

Want to see a keeper play an excellent game and not get the clean sheet? Troy Perkins was easily the man of the match. He kept United in the game, kept the one goal lead safe at 1-0, and then sealed the deal. Merit awards to Casal and Kpene, but Perkins more than anyone turned this game into three points.

Final Thoughts

Normally I watch some or all the replay before writing these, but I haven't this time so I'm operating mainly from memory here. Still, teams must win games ugly. Ugly wins, and ugly football, are stepping stones to winning with style. So I'll take it. I'm not thrilled about a two week break, just when momentum is starting, before the match in Toronto. This league can not get to 16 teams fast enough in order to make scheduling a smoother situation. At the same time, Fred will have some days to get healthy and won't face an immediate demand for his return.

I am still concerned about depth on the backline. Our solution to moving to a 4-4-2 has been moving Josh Gros, not bringing up a new defender. Yes, I know McTavish is hurt, but even that doesn't reassure me. I still think it's telling. I think the wings are starting to develop, the depth at forward is there, and anything after Christian Gomez, even playing as he is, would be a step down in the #10 role. But I am worried by the backline. I just don't see the options.

Did you ever see the movie Kind Hearts and Coronets? It's an old film (1949) where the main character has to assassinate pretty much everyone ahead of him in order to inherit a major title. So he sets out to take them out, one at a time. I feel like, if we're lucky, that's how we've set up this season. It's time to start moving through the entire league, from back to front, one at a time, starting in Toronto in two weeks. A win there, and we have some space between us and the absolute bottom. Then we overtake the next team. And the next. And we keep grinding until there's no one left. Write the list down, and cross them off. It's a interesting feeling of focus, rather than playing King of the Mountain. Let's do it.

First Impressions - DC United 2 : 1 CD Chivas USA

I hate cliches like "It's a funny ol' game," but, well, a game like this seems to call for it. United didn't look as dangerous or productive as they looked on Thursday night, and yet this time they get all three points. It wasn't a step up in effort, it wasn't even a plateau, but it wasn't a step back either. People were making plays, especially in the midfield that just weren't being made earlier in the season. There was a hesitant nature to the DC attack that was concerning, but that may just be nerves that will hopefully be soothed now. Christian Gomez did not have a good game, but gets the goal. Funny that.

Still, three points is three points, and I'm happy they have it. Now to start to establish a rhythm to this season. It seem possible. Things looked very bleak on Wedneday, and now they just look like the season will be long, difficult, and troubling. In other words, the way every season should look, and we finally decided to show up.

Debrief tomorrow, where we'll get into who had good games, a bad game, or both simultaneously. We'll also talk about DC's counter-attack, or lack thereof. For right now, I want to examine this feeling that I'm experiencing. What's it called? Ah yes, a regular season win. Right, I had forgotten about that.

An Expert View on CD Chivas USA

As part of our continuing effort to provide a unique insight drawn from expert opinion on other teams, we now turn our attention to CD Chivas USA. But before that, I've noticed a worrying trend of other individuals popping into these interviews and disrupting them. I will not allow this interview to rely on cheap, ethnic-based humor in questionable taste. Okay? With that in mind, Marco Antonio Regil, host of ¿Qué Dice La Gente?



We asked 100 people to name someone or something that is very old. Number One Answer was Preki!




Not now Marco. Zombie Eddie Guerrero?




I will cheat to win, ese! Chris Benoit is a coward, he fears to face me even in death!





We miss you Eddie, but you'd be a distraction to a serious interview. Taco Bell Dog?



Please direct me to the Chalupas!





All of you. Out. Now. We will not have this sort of stereotype-based, racially tinged humor here.



¡Filho da pu--



-- That's enough out of you, Taco Bell Dog! That kind of language isn't very clever. So all of you, leave, now!

...Good.

Okay, moving onward now. Given that CD Chivas USA was an interesting attempt to appeal to the Latino population of Los Angeles, we wanted someone who really connected to that crowd on this blog. Please welcome to the blog... Is this right? Really? Huh... Well, please welcome former lead singer of The Smiths, Morrissey.


I would say I am happy to be here, but there's a twinge of melancholy that suffuses this afternoon... *Sniff*





Well, let's see if we can move beyond that for the time. How on earth is someone from Manchester, England an expert on the support of CD Chivas USA?

Providence and intervention, divine or satanic. There's even a movie that was made about my latino fans in Los Angeles. I am grateful for them, otherwise I would have lost myself in an abyss of tepid solo albums and long winded soliloquies about foreigners. Irish blood, english heart, but salsa rhythms before the sadness overwhelms and drowns me 'til human voices wake us. *sniff*


Well, I had no idea. So, tell me what you find appealing about Sunday's matchup between DC United and Chivas?

Both clubs have an appealing sadness to them. The kind of sadness that forces one to cry in only the fluffiest, downiest pillow one can find. If one had a lover, or if one wasn't celibate, you might find solace there, but you do not, so instead you play Winning Eleven and try not loose too badly. DC United is so sad, with the tears of frustration. Amado Geuvara is so sad because... because... I'm not sure why he's so sad but it must be a powerful sadness for him to act as he does. No matter who wins, you must ask what difference does it make? *sniff*

No difference? I think this is an interesting match-up. I mean, what should DC United be aware of? I mean, Ante Razov, he's good. Will he catch Jamie Moreno in the all-time goal scoring race?


The more you ignore him, the closer he gets... *sniff*






...Okay, that's good. And should DC be worried about anything, perhaps Ben Olsen talking himself into a caution? And the fact that we haven't scored in the run of play for two straight games?



Ah, Bigmouth strikes again, and goal scorers in a coma, I know, I know, it's serious. *sniff*





C'mon, you must have some insight on how to barbeque the goats!



Meat is murder.





Um... do you have any advice that doesn't relate to songs you've written?


No, all the advice is based on the torment of my lonely soul, writ down then sung so that others may know. And I suppose that joke isn't funny anymore. *sniff* *cry* *whimper*





Yeah, I think you're right. Thank you, Morrissey.