Game Recap FAIL

Sorry folks. At this point it may be too late... Consider this an open thread for your comments on Saturday night's impressive win over Colorado.

1. The At A Glance stats have been updated on the sidebar. Gomez has provided three goals and two assists in the past 5 MLS matches.
2. Namoff is leading GOTW voting, 38% to 34% over Alecko of LAG. Honestly, in terms of a combination of Gomez's hard work along with Fred's patience, I thought the third goal was more impressive. Emilio continued his run and gave Fred a good option as he was holding off (!!!) the keeper. You don't see that everyday.
3. No goals for Casey, so, yay.

US Open Cup tonight at some place called Boyds, MD and then the teams travels to San Jose for a 10:30pm EST matchup on Saturday. I wonder if my hotel in Corning, NY will have FSC.

First Impressions: DC United v Colorado Rapids

I know this isn't how D does it. He races home from the match and types 5 thick paragraphs of analysis about how United performed and why the outcome was the way it was. He probably begins his compositions on his Blackberry while walking along E. Capital on his way to the Metro. It is very impressive.

Me? I went to Trusty's straight away with my wife and my BFF (Bendt) to celebrate United's win. And I just got home.

The goals? OMG - this thing called the "Volkswagon Game Nav" (way cool BTW) is showing Namoff as scoring twice - 14th and 56th minute. Which is awesome because it exactly highlights what BFF Bendt said about Namoff's game winning goal:

He made up for his mistake.

Seeing it at the bar, I wasn't so sure that it wasn't just a bad giveaway. But now watching it on TiVo at home, I guess it was an own goal. I haz a sad.

But I feel compelled to point out something to all of you out there on FB. I started a group a few days ago called Marc Burch needs a right foot! Please join me. We need this group (about this IMPORTANT ISSUE) because in the 33rd minute, the one and only Marc Burch switched the ball back to his right foot from his left foot and unleashed one of the softest, ugliest shots that we've seen from him.

Freedom win 1-0. I didn't see any of it; I was too busy getting free beer from my WAFC peeps.

What did you guys think about the frisbee exhibition? Totally cool, right? Sweet! The best part was when that dude hucked that one disc into the trashcan! Am I right?!?!

Preview 2: W2W4

Yesterday's preview post wasn't much of one, in that it only talked about what I wanted to talk about and probably nothing that you wanted to read about.

Basically, I hope that United can contain Conor Casey tonight.

I feel like there have been several times this season when United has allowed big-name, franchise players to score to easily and as a result have dropped points on the road or had to battle back to pull a point back. Most notably, I keep thinking about Shalrie Joseph's easy header back in April when the Revs were carrying about 14 players on their roster and we failed to punish them. In mid-June, United came back from two goals down against Seattle to take a point on the road. That's good, except the good guys were only down by two goals because Nate Jaqua had somehow scored and that guy hates to score.

I don't think Casey is as good as his stats are saying, but then again, you can't really argue with 8 goals in 12 games. So I hope the back line is ready for his bald, bulky, bouldering brand of soccer.

Also, Danny Szetela.

UPDATE: I just watched the "Crossbar Challenge" on dcunited.com's Access United. Yes, they were practicing hitting the crossbar... I hope that doesn't come back to haunt them. The good news is that out of the 5 competitors (John DiRaimondo, Andrew Jacobson, Boyzzz Khumalo, Ange N'Silu, and Milos Kocic) your winner is the Serbian GOALKEEPER. The forwards just couldn't keep the ball out of the back of the net.

Preview: DC United v Colorado Rapids

when: Saturday, July 18th, 8pm
where: Estadio RFK
why: Ultimate Frisbee

huh?

Bob here, now and through the weekend. I love watching soccer and supporting DC United. But when I am actually going to get outside and run around, Ultimate Frisbee is my game. And at halftime of tomorrow's match, two local club teams will put on a demonstration of the sport that actually has quite a bit of support in this area. WAFC, the Washington Area Frisbee Club, is the local organizing body for the sport. They worked with DC United to arrange this opportunity to showcase these teams and this sport on the pitch at RFK. If you aren't stuck in the beer lines at halftime, and I sincerely encourage you to make an effort to see this, you will see some great athletes pulling off some amazing throws and some amazing catches. See you there.

Also, Facundo Erpen.

Wait a minute, what??? No Facundo? Why no Facundo?

First Impressions -- Colorado Rapids 3 : 0 D.C. United

I suppose the major debate is whether United lost this match or Colorado won it, and the easy answer is both. Fatigue was a factor, altitude was a factor. It showed up in obvious ways like tired legs and players running out of gas. It showed more poignantly mentally: United could not execute this match at all. Colorado's second and third goals resulted from some lapses, from Avery John's back pass/through ball to Cummings, and to Jakovic missed trap that forced him the wrong way. That being said, Colorado's first goal was well executed by Cummings, as he makes a strong run, stays on his feet over Janicki's tackle, and fires far post by Wicks. And once Colorado had that edge, all else was preordained.

There are bright things to consider. It was nice to Olsen on the field in something other than a token role. Boyzzz again showed life and energy in exactly the way N'Silu did not. But the match itself was like watching a tax audit -- it was tedious and you felt at some point United would pay through the nose, and sure enough Cummings would pop up with the ball at his feet saying "now, about this receipt here..."

The shift to start the match in a 4-4-2 was interesting, but it felt like a line-up that may have been more suited to the previous match against Seattle. Throwing Olsen on the right in his first match back seemed to ask a great deal, and Simms and Gomez found linking up difficult. We can complain about Janicki if you desire, but I can't imagine that any other back four performs better in this match.

Write it off, pay the bill, and cross out the footnote that said "United has yet to lose after conceding the first goal."

First Impressions - D.C. United 3 : 0 Colorado Rapids

Given this season, it's probably presumptuous to admit this, but I was fairly confident at 1-0. United looked like a team in control, like a team that wasn't going to commit some insanely stupid maneuver and let Colorado back into the match. I was relatively positive at 1-0. The fact that United then added two late goals, including that great strike from Tino, to get to three goals was a bonus. United was calm on the ball, slowly morphed their tactics to take advantage of Colorado, and kept the midfield of Colorado off balance for pretty much the entire game. I have been critical during many wins of United, and certainly there are things to wonder about in this match, but this was a solid, professional victory.

It was a match that existed in a perfect state of zen. As a fan, you could watch this match in the lotus position, your third eye opening as Quavas Kirk scores the third goal. It was a Japanese rock garden of serenity and scoring. A quiet bijoux of a match. Refreshing, at this point of the season. Let's play two.

Debriefing for Match 13.06: At Colorado Rapids

Colorado Rapids 2 : 0 D.C. United

Six Word Novel Recap

Gomez-Gallardo. Clavijo-Soehn. Lost Both.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Denver Post, Brian Forbes: "By the time Gomez was replaced to a standing ovation in the second half, having outplayed United's No. 10 — and Gomez's replacement — Marcelo Gallardo, the Rapids had sealed their 2-0 victory to give them 10 goals this season from 10 players."
MLSNet, Geoffrey Urland: "Former United midfielder Christian Gomez set up Jacob Peterson for the Rapids' first goal and former D.C. defender Facundo Erpen scored the insurance goal, with Gomez again providing an assist, as United remained winless in Colorado since the 2000 season."
The Washington Post, Steve Goff: " Unimaginative and uninspiring, United rarely challenged the Rapids..."
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "With United playing cautiously from the jump, they never gave themselves a chance to win this match. "
MLSNet, Geoffrey Urland: "The statistics show a game that was thoroughly dominated by the home team. United were outshot 17-5, gave up 10 corner kicks while earning only half that many, committed 13 fouls and, most importantly, gave up two second-half goals."
Behind the Badge, The Management: " D.C. United Head Coach Tom Soehn: 'The loss is very troubling, we have addressed a lot, especially having a better road mentality. When looking at individual performances in this game we were just bad all over the field, I can’t even think of a player that did well. '"
The Offside: Colorado Rapids, Kyle: "On Sunday, the Rapids outplayed DC United by any measure, and I still think they underperformed. I really think they could have scored three or four if they had just finished on a few of the opportunities they had in the first half."
Fighting Talker, Aaron Stollar: "Garbage. Absolute garbage...This is a team who’s best striker clearly cannot contribute right now and whose manager and technical director are finding their decisions exposed as wrong on a more regular basis...What is the one thing we all learned about Gomez during his tenure here? It’s that if you pressure him in possession incessantly and knock him down repeatedly, he’ll struggle. We didn’t do that one bit...I’ve officially reached the point where Soehn’s job is officially in jeopardy, at least to me."
Booked for Dissent, Dave Lifton: "I don’t know if United can make the necessary adjustments against a team that is playing very well and perennially has our number. It could just be a home-and-away thing, in which case United right now is no better off than it was under Ray Hudson. Again: one step forward, two steps back."
DCUMD, Shatz: "So despite playing with one more midfielder than the opposition, we were still dominated in the middle third. That right there is a really bad sign. But a worse sign is that Soehn continues to roll out the 3-5-2 regardless of the situation. Coaches always talk about how its important to be able to play successfully in more than one formation. I believe we have the team to be able to do that. So why not take advantage of our personnel and tailor the formation to the situation. Playing at home against a team that is weak offensively: that's a good time for the 3-5-2. But playing on the road against a team with a proven (and vengeful) MVP leading the attack, in a game where we would probably have been happy with a nil-nil draw: not a good time for the 3-5-2."
The Fullback Files: "I'm getting the worrying feeling that I'm on a bus, and the driver's got his eyes fixed on his dash-mounted GPS rather than the 30-car pileup a half-mile up the road and approaching fast. 'Hey guys, this setup worked for us at home against a team with no midfield creativity and no width! Let's do the same thing on the road against a team with a proven All-Star midfield dynamo and some decent wide players!' Jumpin' Jeebus on a pogo stick, man!"
BDR, BlckDgRd: "I'm going to wait past Thursday's game regardless of result and past both Toronto games, the back-to-backs, before thumping the chest of this season and declaring the corpse dead. But everything feels wrong this year, from the front office to the coaches to the players to the stadium experience. Everything."

The Good

1. Bryan Namoff: Even if Mr. Soehn can't name a single good performance, I can. Bryan played his role right, and was one of the few people who knew when to push up to put Colorado attackers into the offside position. Bryan didn't get beat by his marker on a corner kick. Bryan is most of the Good, except in tandem with...
   
2. Defenders, Roll Out: It was nice to see Martinez and Namoff join the attack moving the ball up on the wing. Really, our midfield play only looked functional in those moments.
3. The first half of Santino Quaranta: He played both ways, and again our movement up the wings looked better than anything in the middle. Sadly, he got gassed. Let this not be a metaphor for this season.
   

The Bad

1. We Always Fight the Last War: There's more concern about Soehn. There should be. If our working theory is right, we'll see a different performance against Chicago on Thursday. And, if our theory is right, and we do well against Chicago, we'll see the same ideas for the Chicago game used against Chivas. And that's a recipe for a .500 team...at best.
   
2. Emilio - Financial Market Performance Artist: Either he's hoping for a call every time he's falling down, or he's decided to stage a piece called "The performance of the Dollar against International Currency." It would be better if he covered himself in chocolate first. And said things like "rabbits! rabbits! rabbits!"
   
3. LTJG Zach Wells: Another game, another communication gaff. C'mon, I'm tired of this. We demote Lt. Zach Wells (O-3) to Lt. Junior Grade Zach Wells (O-2). Yes, we're using Navy ranks. No, I don't know why, other than I think that all starking keepers should at least have the rank of Commander (O-5)
   
4. Our game is one of holding the ball...Except when our midfield is dysfunctional. There's a lot of heat at Emilio, but I can't think of a game this season where he got less service. Our midfield was awful. Really awful. Anytime a team manages to simultaneously mark you closely and clog your passing lanes, something is deeply wrong. Gallardo also had one of his worst technical games this season. You could see the ideas in his forward passes, but they were either passes that required a precision that he couldn't execute (between two or three defenders) or they weren't particularly dangerous. No middle ground.
   

Officiating Watch

This was not a particularly challenging game for center official Jorge Gonzales and his ARs. If I have one complaint, it's that Ugo Ihmelhu somehow managed to commit half of Colorado's fouls and not get carded for persistent infringement. The ARs missed one off-side call that I saw, on a DC free kick, but otherwise had little to do, and did it well.

Likert Scale Grade: 3 - Average

Man of the Match

N/A. Merit award to Namoff. Your goat could be any number of players, but I will go with Gallardo.

Adjusted Results

No adjustments, though you might make a case that Colorado deserved another goal to make it 3:0. Still, the result feels about right as is. No change, and for the season D.C. United's adjusted record is 2-3-1 (7pts); 10GF, 13GA, -3GD.

Final Thoughts

What worries me is that I get the sense that Coach Soehn puts a team out there, and that is the extent of his management so far. Too frequently it seems he's relying on his players to figure out how to play the game, as routinely, even in games we do well in, the first 10 minutes are a disjointed affair. It's a strategy that could work, given experienced players, but how do you expect Quavas Kirk or Dan Stratford or any of the other new players to fit into a gameplan where the gameplan isn't necessarily known on the sideline. Instead, there seems to be a general theory and formation, based on the best moments of the last game, and the players are told "Go do something."

Case in point, earlier in the CONCACAF Champion's cup we saw that Franco Niell was fairly adept at running down long aerial balls over the top. Given that he's starting, and given the presence that Mastroeni and Ihemelu had in the middle of the field, might it not have made sense to try that in this match? Even with the narrower field? And yet, to my knowledge, I think I saw one attempt to play Niell into the final third in that fashion.

Now, I fully expect to see a different result against Chicago. But until we see two wins in a row, two games where United consistently makes progress even after a good result, then we have every reason to be concerned about the coaching for this season. We can blame the players, sure, and we can blame the lack of speed, sure, but these are the players we have. Either they just aren't sure how to use each other, or the coaching staff isn't telling them.

First Impressions - Colorado Rapids 2 : 0 D. C. United

That D.C. United lost in Colorado is not much of a surprise, as United has done little else but that for the better part of a decade. That we looked so bad doing it is perhaps something of a surprise. Colorado deserved the win, and deserved the margin. The natural focus of any post-game write-up will be to cast this match as "Gallardo vs. Gomez," and I understand that. And Christian did his part to make it look like D.C. United made a mistake.

The more interesting focus to me is "Clavijo vs. Soehn" and on that mark, I think it is clear that Tom Soehn again trusted too much in previous good results. While we saw a slightly different line-up (Niell for Moreno, and I suppose Burch for Fred) to start this match, the tactical decision making seemed very similar to the last match against RSL. Which is the worry we've expressed about Tom Soehn's United. If something works, try it again until is stops working.

It is, if you think about it, the very antithesis of "Building on a win." There was good and bad against RSL, but rather than take the good and try and add more to it, we accepted the good we had and hoped it would be enough again.

We are not a fast team. That's simply a fact, but not all successful teams need to have great speed. We still haven't figured out what we are, and how to make it work. And while Dave Johnson can talk about this team still "coming together" the fact is that we've had 20% of the season go by now. Maybe it snaps into place in the half-way mark, and I'm more than willing to give it that long. But if it doesn't...

If it doesn't, then I have a feeling that the game I just saw is one I may have to get used to seeing.

Grab a Cup of Coffee and a "I Voted in Arlington" Sticker

RANDOM POLITICAL RANT: Yes, it is cold this morning, but I still managed to drag myself to my local polling place and vote. Now, frankly, I'm not sure that one individual vote matters, but I'm pretty sure that politicians care about the types of people who vote. Old people vote, so politicians care about them. If nothing else, the fact that people under 40 (let alone under 30 like me) are getting out to the polls makes me think that perhaps some politicians will actually stop writing off the kids as people they can ignore. Plus, I want myself a soccer stadium. That may not be on the ballot, but if people who do want soccer stadiums vote, then maybe that'll be a nice bonus. Okay, that's a dream. But still...

FIFA LOVES EL DIABLO: I'm not sure what prompted FIFA.COM to run a "Marco Etcheverry - Not Just in Bolivia" article, but I like it. One of the things that this league is in danger of occasionally is losing touch with its past while it tries to reconfigure for future growth. We're fortunate in that "Tradition" is not just a catch-phrase around these parts, but something we take somewhat seriously. In a little over a decade, we have had some great moments. Let's not forget our early years. I think this guy agrees with me, and I also am pretty sure he's doing something about it.

DID YOU EVER PLAY SIM CITY AND RUN OUT OF ROOM TO ZONE COOL THINGS IN? Tim Lemke in the Times has an interesting article about the pace of stadium construction in the USA. One of the things I think it highlights is the fact that we need to move on the stadium situation now, in the next year or two, or the entire situation nation-wide may be bogged down beyond belief:

"We look at the U.S. pro sports market as about 80 percent built out," said Bob White, director of marketing for Kansas City-based architect HOK Sport Venue Event, whose numerous designs include Oriole Park and Nationals Park. "So we're not at the end of that phase, but we can certainly see the end."

"SYNERGY" - NOT JUST A CORPORATE BUZZWORD. OKAY, IT PROBABLY IS. HOW ABOUT "WIN-WIN" INSTEAD?Kyle McCarthy breaks down the Gomez to Colorado trade: "this deal benefits both teams and the league." I agree.

IF LA CAN PAY HIM, HE SHOULD GO: It's no secret that I like Jay Needham, if just because he was willing to do an interview with us. So the story that he might be heading to LA (via Goff) saddens me, since I think L.A. is pretty atrocious to people who aren't marquee attractions. But if they can pay him above the developmental salary, he should take the money and DC, not being willing to pay him, should trade him. I would want him here, but he had every right to want more than $30K for his services, and his time at Puerto Rico vindicated his decision.

Busy day for me, but I'll see if I can check back in later.

Gomez Gave Us Options, Even in Departure

I'm working on putting together an something I hope you might find interesting, but let's spend at least one post dedicated to the most important player that D.C. United had from 2004 to 2007: Christian Gomez. He is arguably the reason we won the MLS Cup in 2004. He was critical to the 2006 and 2007 Supporter's Shield runs. His free kicks were frequently the difference between one point and three points (such as last year against Houston.) I did say that Christian Gomez may not reach the highest order in the D.C. United pantheon, but that's primarily because he was only here for three and a half years. Does it seem longer? If so, it is because he was so good that it was hard to conceive of a time when he wasn't here.

What made Gomez so great was the versatility he brought to the field. He ran the offense, and made defenses respect that we had three legitimate scoring threats. Who could they eliminate? Gomez? Moreno? Eskandarian or Emilio? Someone would be free, and sometimes it was Ben Olsen, or Fred, or they just couldn't taken them all out. Gomez was the reason teams couldn't combat us the same way we'd combat Angel (deny him service, then watch the attack wither). They might try, and hack at his shins and ankles all day long, but even then we'd earn free kicks that could be even more dangerous.

And now, even as he leaves, we learn that Colorado had to give us their Designated Player slot for a few years after Toronto made a similar offer for him. Even if Christian Gomez isn't a Designated Player, it is clear he was worth the price of one, and to have the opportunity to sign a new player or promote one to a DP slot after the signing of Gallardo is immense. It is only fitting that Gomez would not just give us options while on the field, but expand the universe of options in his departure. Mr. Gomez, we salute you, and provided you don't grab your crotch at the fans when you spark Colorado to a nice scoring move, you will always receive a warm welcome at RFK. Thank you sir.

Debriefing for Match 12.12: Colorado Rapids

D.C. United 4 : 1 Colorado Rapids

Six Word Novel Recap

"Jesus Loves You." We love Christian.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Times, John Haydon: "The Rapids may have felt confident after beating United 2-1 in a season opener before a sellout crowd at their new stadium and a national television audience. And then Colorado scored last night's first goal in the 19th minute...United finally got a break a half hour into the game when the Rapids' Greg Vanney was called for a hand ball in the box. Gomez took the penalty kick — normally a job for Moreno — and buried the shot past Senegalese goalie Bouna Coundoul for his fourth goal of the year."
The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "...following a half-hour lightning delay, he [Addlery] set up Fred's maiden goal to help United to a 4-1 victory before 14,982 at RFK Stadium."

[NOTE: Denver/Colorado Media tended to use the AP Reports. ]

MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "A strange play unraveled in the 33rd minute after Simms, who by now had switched spots with McTavish to take up the right back position, sent a cross into the Rapids box. Emilio beat Vanney to the delivery and the veteran left back fell to the turf, then seemingly contorted his body to poke at the ball from a prone position, first with his hand, then his right foot. Addlery was first to the loose ball and looked to have wasted a great chance when a slapped his shot just wide of the left post, but when referee Alex Prus reached the scene he pointed to the penalty spot, having blown for a handball on Vanney."
QuarterVolley, I-66: "It’s nice to see Fred finally tally one in the goal column, and Addlery too, who did well in holding the ball, and whose header to give United the lead along with his later assist on Fred’s goal earned him Player of The Game as announced by the stadium. On the flip side of things, Clyde Simms doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the back. Hopefully Bryan Namoff’s ready to go for the next match."
Six Yards North, QJA: "Why doesn't Emilio have any kind of influence on the pitch? No commanding presence, no intimidation. He kind of sneaks into the fold until he's in the box with a ball at his feet. He must be a god at hide and seek." [NOTE: Interesting... Hadn't thought about it like that. Then again, it doesn't seem to be a bad thing. I think we need to watch for this.]
The Edgell Supporters: "Perkins looked quite acrobatic in goal even on the one that went in. He had an outstanding game. Moose is a scrapper and a hustler, which equalized his giveaways."
The Offside: Colorado Rapids, Clint: "If anything good can come from this game, maybe it will be the realization that Clavijo isn’t exactly the greatest coach available for this team."

Photo Sets: Off Wing Opinion, Kate McGovern

ALSO (As noted):

The Good

1. Rebound: Last night, I was poking around some numbers regarding United's records when scoring the first goal (4-0-0) and conceding the first goal (1-4-1), after Oscar had asked "What team isn't dependent on the first goal?" in a comment on the match briefing. Well, every team is helped by scoring the first goal, but it looked like United was more dependent than most on scoring the first goal to get a win. Last night I was a bit surprised, but pleased, to see them come back. Something for the macroscopic analysis later.
2. Midfield Up: Gomez, Fred, Moose, Addlery, and Emilio all contributed solid work in this game, even after going down a goal. The ball movement, the pressure, it was all there. Gomez should get some credit here, as he clearly wasn't sure what he had at the start of the match, but grew much more comfortable as the game went on in dishing the ball around.
   
3. Defensive Adjustment, Part Deux: This is the second match (LA was the first) where Tom Soehn has made a change in game to solidify a shaky backline when dealing with people in uncomfortable positions. I wish he didn't need 15 minutes to figure out that Simms was having a difficult time in the center back role, but I'd rather he figure it out then hope it will get better. I like that.
4. Fred: Aside from one awkward pass, the second half was the best soccer I've seen from him this season. He was nicely over the pitch. And hey, when you score a goal like that, I don't mind you taking the yellow even for a moment of evangelism with your "JESUS LOVES YOU". If that's how you want to celebrate, fine by me. It's your moment to do with what you want, even if I wouldn't necessarily agree with the sentiment. Anything other than fascist salutes is fine by me.
5. Troy Perkins: A couple of decent stops, and the goal was almost impossible for him to have any decent position on. A good performance. Stop showing the Guadalajara clip, okay? It's over. If he had been letting in softies over the course of the season, I could understand it, but really, this has been dealt with and is only a clip for lazy commentary at this point.
6. Officiating: Alex Prus was remarkably collected for this match. I think perhaps he should not have given Colorado a few advantage calls and called plays back for kicks, but it wasn't like Colorado was unduly harmed. Vanney's handball on replay was clear, and worth of the penalty, but I had no idea it had occurred in real time. Special points for allowing play to continue and then going back to book players (Gros and Wasson were both booked in this manner). That's the way it should be done.
   

The Bad

1. Mike Petke's Leg: Just a quick word of sympathy for a guy who I've been a fan of even after he left. He's tough, a class individual, and seeing him go down didn't make me pleased even as I knew it might make things easier for us. Get well, Wanker.
   
2. Defense, Defense, Defense: Even after Tom Soehn's adjustment, United's defense wasn't overpowering the Colorado attack so much as the Colorado attack was incoherent in extending (or retaking) the lead. There was a lot of space out there. While Erpen was blamed by the goal, it ignores the fact that Simms was having problems up until that point, and Simms was marking the man behind Erpen. Would I be looking over my shoulder at that point? I might be. Doesn't excuse it, but there you go. McTavish was not particularly strong, but he had cover and help most of the time which helped hide the problems he had coming out to close attackers (How Goff is rating McTavish higher than Moose is something I don't understand, but Moose has been getting jobbed in the ratings all season).
3. ESPN: Oh, we'll talk about this, either today or early next week. I have no problem with emphasizing story lines during games, but at least those stories should be about the players on the pitch, not on other sports on another channel. This is the second game that's featured a pointless phone call in the second half. Ridiculous. When actually trying to call the game, they were decent, but CALL THE DAMN GAME, DON'T DISCUSS THE NBA DRAFT OR WHO WENT TO GEORGETOWN WHEN. For fuck's sake people, all you're saying is "We don't care about the product on the field, or even the sport in general." And I know you do, because otherwise you wouldn't have taken that great shot a BigSoccer (where I occasionally post) as being "where all the real geniuses are." But it's sad when that comment is the highlight of your analysis.
   

Man of the Match

Hmmmm... Fred, Perkins, or Addlery, but I'm giving to Troy Perkins, who faced a game that did not play to his strengths but kept United in it.

Karma Bank

We lose one karma since Colorado gifted us a penalty, but that second half after the rain delay was some nice, classy soccer which earns us one back. No change, +1 for the season.

Final Thoughts

Addlery is quoted on a wire story as saying "Salt Lake was just a bump in the road. We lost, picked ourselves up, dusted off and moved on." My wife points out that it was a bump that blew out a tire. They're both right. I'm glad the players have moved on, and while I thought Tom Soehn was naive in not making them break down the RSL game, especially when we were down a goal, perhaps he is right and I was wrong (shocking, that a head coach might know his team better than a blogger. Of course, if I was a real blogger, I never would have admitted having this wrong thought in the first place, and let the illusion of competence continue.) Still, I don't think that this means Kansas City and Dallas will just roll over when we come to town. There's plenty to work on. We're not there yet.

As for the proposed Vanney-Erpen deal that Goff broke the news of, well, maybe we'll comment on that today, but the short version for me is this: Straight up, even with Colorado taking some of Greg Vanney's salary, I don't like the deal. It doesn't add depth, we lose some recovery speed but gain some experience. I don't think it truly addresses our issues on the back line. If there's more to the deal (or other deals are planned) I might change my mind, but right now it doesn't feel to me like a good idea.

First Impressions - DC United 4 : 1 Colorado Rapids

I know, I know. Four goals. Party time, right? Not really. Take Tom Soehn's comments from last week to heart: You can't let the lows get you too low, but you can't let the highs get you too high. United scored three goals in the final twenty minutes to win this game, but equalized thanks to a penalty that I don't think most MLS refs would have seen, and therefore given. This game at 1-1 was much different than if we had not gotten the penalty. So there's some fortune in there. The backline was a makeshift product that wasn't quite ready (the team was not ready to lose Namoff). While Wynalda singled out Erpen, Clyde Simms had intense difficulty when he started at left back, and Devon McTavish didn't commit many obvious gaffes (aside from a heart stopping moment where he nearly created Colorado's service for them) but also wasn't particularly effective in shutting down his flank.

All I'm saying is that the 4-1 scoreline, to my mind, hides a lot of faults. It also demonstrated some great developments. Fred gets on the board. Addlery is a raw talent, but there is talent there (he needs to refine his passing, but his runs were confident. While he needs to learn about Gomez, Gomez will also learn about Nick.) Moose had a very good game, Gros was decent, Christian worked well with both, and Emilio got another goal. Those are all good things. However, this defense is not there yet, and really hasn't been most of the season. We weren't as bad as the RSL game indicated, but we shouldn't expect this result in our next two matches (on the road against KC and Dallas).

All right, now that I've done my intellectual soccer critic and responsible blogger duty, let me say one more thing. That last 20 minutes was a lot of fun. Not as much fun as Olsen's hat trick, but again it was the kind of thing that reminds me how rewarding this team can be. Gotta love it.

Now I'm watching The Gringos take on Argentina. 1-1 (thanks rain delay for allowing me to catch EJ's penalty.) Not bad. Second half about 8 minutes in. At least we're not getting embarrassed. And if the scoreline holds... well, I'll be kinda stunned. In a good way. Nice to see Benny starting.

Match Briefing for 12.12: Colorado Rapids

Match #: 12.12

Opponent:
Colorado Rapids
15pts, 13GF, 17GA, -4 GD
4th place Western Conference
8th place (tie-Crew) MLS

Six Word Novel Preview: International Absences, National TV, Local Pressure.

TV: ESPN, 7PM

Radio: WMET 1160AM

Previous Meeting: Match 12.01 - Rapids 2 : 1 DC United (Debrief / First Impressions)

The Stakes: United says they're embarrassed and ready to rebound from a shocking loss at Salt Lake. Then again, they said they're weren't taking Salt Lake lightly. While United will be missing three critical players to Copa America (Moreno - BOL; Boswell, Olsen - USA) the most critical absence may be Bryan Namoff missing the game to the hamstring injury. This makes this game the biggest test of United's depth this season.

For Colorado, a hot start has faded. Whispers about Fernando Clavijo's job security are probably premature, as I seriously doubt that Colorado likes the idea of firing a coach in the middle of their first year at a new stadium. Colorado also is facing absences, with Herculez Gomez and Kyle Beckerman both absent. However, the team wasn't exactly clicking with them in the line-up. Colorado will leave happy with a draw (taking 4 of 6 points from United). United should be looking to even the series.

Previews from the DCUniverse: QuarterVolley, Poplar Point Perpective, Six Yards NorthThe Edgell Supporters
Previews from the Rapidity:
Previews Updated as we notice them

Expectations: If you're a pessimist, you've convinced yourself that United is going to drop points here. I personally do take the team at their word, and expect full spoils. While I'm nervous about the absences, I think Colorado is hurt far more than United is. In response, Colorado will probably play hack and slash football against Emilio and Gomez, and I expect to see a lot of Route One football from Colorado's distribution. United can counter with Moose (and I hope they do). The Namoff absence worries me, as we're now in the "two-down" scenario that I thought would make issues apparent. However, Conor Casey has yet to impress me as a forward, making me wonder who Terry Cooke will find for his crosses.

What to look for?

• If Fred and Moose are consistently positive with the ball, then Colorado's will need to bunker. If they don't seem to find the ball, then it could be a long night.
• Moreno was usually the one to check back to the ball, but if Kpene is his replacement I can see Kpene staying higher near the box and Emilio dropping back to take the ball, lay it off, and make a run to the post.
  
• Colorado will want to slow this game down, and I'm not sure United will be able to break out of it.
  
• I hate the fact that this team is so dependent on the first goal. But, well, that's the facts of life.
  

Re- Mediate

DOMENIC MEDIATE RETURNS: Goff reports that United has signed Domenic Mediate, primarily as a signing to provide depth. I'm relieved that Domenic gets another shot at United. He was decent in his performances last year, and had his leg broken in the service of this team. His dismissal felt wrong to me when it happened, so I'm glad he gets another shot. Welcome back sir. Better luck for this go around, and I'm glad that thUgo is suspended for this match.

PERKINS - WE WEREN'T READY FOR RSL: In The Examiner, Brian Straus finds an interesting quote from our starting Keeper:

"Just watching people warm up, you knew it was going to be a long night," he [Troy Perkins] said. "We weren't focused on what we were going to do. You see so many different things when you're watching the game. It's frustrating. You're sitting there kicking the bench. You want to get up and go, and you can't."

When you think about it, and I have, that's a pretty damning quote. If you can tell that the team isn't focused in warmups, then one has to ask why the hell not? Especially given all the lip service to "not overlooking Salt Lake." It didn't sink in. Must we have one lesson per year on this topic? Or perhaps can we remember our history lessons and carry them over.

DEFENSIVE DEPTH, AGAIN: In The Post's preview for tonight, Goff is noting that Namoff may not play because of a hamstring issue. Boswell is, of course, a Copa America callup.

EXPERT NO MORE: No Expert Opinion for tonight's match, since this is the second go round between DC and Colorado. However, I invite you to relive the opinion of Dr. Hunter Thompson when he came in to preview the season opener. And since we're not transcribing our interview tapes, maybe we'll put together a decent preview for this match.

TNS In Review

Real Salt Lake - Colorado was actually more entertaining, I thought, than New England-DC United. It wasn't nearly as well played of a game, but there was enough happening that it kept the interest. The booth had their best game to date, and ESPN got lucky with their inane 30 in :30 update missing an off-side goal...

But, I think it is clear to everyone that the offside technology is a fraud. That's okay, I can get beyond that, but if there was one "innovation" I was looking forward to this season, it was that. This game, which turned so frequently on off-side calls of one type or another, would have been a great one to have showcased this technology. But they didn't have it. Fine. I feel cheated, and annoyed, but I can get beyond that.

Also, I think I can kinda like RSL now that Ellinger is off the sideline. Jason Kreis' comments about "playing on a nice grass field" (a cute little shot at Rice-Eccles, I suppose) and his demeanor make me want to see this team do well now. I want Freddy Adu to succeed, and I think hearing the message of "you need to play out wide" from someone other than Piotr Nowak may be easier for Freddy to take since now he's no longer convinced it is from someone biased against him. So I hope they get three points soon.

I'm hoping to have one other post up today, but we'll see. It may wait until the weekend.

Highlights of DC United vs. Colorado Rapids

I really didn't want to post this...and there really isn't that much to see. But I am trying to make this part of the regular DCenters match coverage, so I guess I have to put it up for all the games, even games like this.

Debriefing for Match 12.01: At Colorado Rapids

Colorado Rapids 2 : 1 D.C. United

Six Word Novel Recap

Weather was cold. So was United.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "...United was badly outplayed in its MLS opener by the middling Colorado Rapids and dropped a 2-1 decision Saturday... "
The Washington Times, Pat Rooney: "When United doesn't play its possession game with a certain level of effectiveness, bad things happen."
MLSNet, Tom Buck: "Rapids winger Terry Cooke put in a man-of-the-match performance, continuing his fine play from last season when he led MLS in assists, setting up both Rapids goals. Herculez Gomez headed home the first goal in Dick's Sporting Goods Park history, then Roberto Brown doubled the lead by halftime. Luciano Emilio scored a late consolation goal for United."
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "What in the Hell has happened to Brian Carroll of DC United?"
Ben Olsen's Beard: "92:47- Greg Vanney asks Moreno what the five fingers said to the face."
QuarterVolley: " United did not roll over and die."
BlackDogRed: "...two months from now this will be remembered as a blip with many asterisks of mitigating circumstances...I give Soehn credit: in a relatively meaningless game for DCU, compared to the Chivas game, and compared to how meaningful the game was for Colorado, Deroux and Moose and then Fred and Casal? I think that's smart..."
The Far Post: "United looked like a team that hadn’t been home in many weeks. They make many mental errors and didn’t protect the ball – poor possession, easy give aways, sloppy passing..."

The Good

1. The Potential of Yinka Casal: Audacity and a willingness to take people on the dribble, the ability to send a hard cross from the wing... There's certainly some talent there.
2. Justin Moose: Goff jobs Moose in his player ratings. Moose was, to me, acceptable on the wing in a midfield that played atrociously. That "acceptable" qualifies as a good thing from this game says something, but Moose didn't underperform my expectations like, say, Christian Gomez or Brian Carroll. Even DeRoux looked a bit off what I expected from him.
3. Ben Olsen: If Jamie Moreno retires soon, Olsen deserves the armband. He is a leader, both vocally and in terms of example. Yes, he took a silly yellow, but he knew it the moment he popped up.
   

The Bad

1. Midfield: I'm not going to take issue with the defense. Yes, Erpen had his hands full but played, I thought, relatively decently. Everyone is criticizing DeRoux for getting bumped on the corner kick leading to the first goal, but I felt the culprit was Boswell not getting to the spot to stop it. The real problem was that in a wide field, United should have had an easier time keeping possession, yet were much too careless in their passing and consistently beat to second balls.
2. The Reality of Yinka Casal: Yes, there's a lot there to look at, but at the same time Casal was only marginally effective at best. Even his cross could have been luck, as it seemed to me like he blindly sent it in to Luciano.
3. Weapon Selection: The potential of this season is that with Emilio, Gomez, and Moreno, that United should have multiple threats and not rely on just one or two players for goals. To me, that means you can't just send it over to top to Emilio to see what happens. Vary your play, get everyone involved. Do not make yourself one dimensional.
   
4. Officiating: In the bad column this week. It was fair, and by fair I mean equally below decent on both sides. Kennedy gets a "-1" in the ref ratings for this year.
   

Man of the Match

N/A

Final Thoughts

Cause for panic? No. I agree with all who've said that this may well be a blip. The issue is that while everyone has pretty much been engraving a dash after "2006" on the Supporter's Shield trophy, that means that you have to win difficult games. This was such an example, and the failure to win this game means that this won't just be a gimme season. You'll note that we didn't do a "Preview" with projected standings this year. Why? Because as good as United is, this season could go just about anywhere. A win at home against Kansas City will make things feel better, but I really don't feel that any game (other than Columbus) will be a walk in the park. High expectations, and so far not met.

First Impressions - Colorado Rapids 2 : 1 D.C. United

You have five players trying to control the midfield, some of whom are damn talented. They have four. Which means? Well, nothing, actually, as Colorado successfully won most of the second balls and had no egregiously bad turnovers. In the process, they controlled midfield for long stretches of this match, and United spent about three quarters of the game on the back foot.

It's a disappointing way to start the season. And a mildly surprising one. United had shown a much better form in three of the four games they had already played this year. Strangely, it was this game where they seemed out of form while Colorado played smart, quick passes and controlled the game.

Had United managed to find the equalizer in the final 10 minutes, the result would have flattered us. Colorado deserved to win that game, and United deserved to lose. You can blame the defense for some lax marking if you'd like (and you probably should), but I was aghast to see how poorly the midfield asserted itself. A cold, firm slap in the face to start the season.

An Expert's View on the Colorado Rapids

Thanks to the DCenter's partnership with the RAND Corporations Temporal Mechanics and Necromancy Division (used previously last year), we are once again able to bring you someone who knows more about Colorado than we do.

Author Hunter S. Thompson was the creator of gonzo-journalism and an avid sports fan who wrote for ESPN's page 2. Even as a zombie, Mr. Thompson retains great insight into the state of sports in Colorado, and we are pleased to have him here.

Dr. Thompson, welcome to The DCenters.

Sure. If I'm really here. This could just be a bad trip induced by the mescaline-peyote mix I took earlier. Even if it's not a bad trip, it's probably in bad taste. Bad something. Karma, if you believe in that. Which I don't. That's a mark's game. It's far more likely that this is just an excuse to write a bad pastiche of my style. But illusions are more real than reality in this America. Look around you. You see what I'm talking about. There's a darkness to this.

Perhaps, but regardless, let's get onto business. I suppose the big recent surprise was the trade of Clint Mathis to the New York Red Bulls?

Not really. I knew it was coming. Clavijo, that sorcerer, could never have kept him. They had been in Spain, you know? Training, but the real reason was to meet Ferdinand da Bastilla. He's immortal, supposedly, and lives his life in permanent shadow. A follower of Crowley's writings. Clavijo and Mathis had sacrificed this orphan, but then the kid started speaking. Weird stuff, right, because the kid's dead, and they've already sipped from the goblet containing his blood. Portents and Prophecy. "¡El estadio caerá!" the kid said, only this was a deep gutteral tone. Over and over. "¡El estadio caerá!" Satan himself. Clint had dealt with Satan previously, he knew that voice. He had to go then. Clavijo couldn't contain him. It was a matter of time then.

Um. Uh. Um. Well, let's lighten the mood, shall we? There are a lot of jokes being made about "Dick's Sporting Goods Stadium." People keep calling it "The Big Dick." Is that funny?

Why would it be funny? It's fitting. Watching Colorado has been just like fucking. Only without the pleasure. A sweaty, grunting thing leaving you drained and wondering about the whore you're with. Awful. No style, no passion. I had a two-thousand dollar bet with Bill Murray on whether Colorado would score 40 goals last season. I had the money really on Mathis. Mathis knew his dark lord would not abandon him. But that's the dangerous thing about dark magic But Murray saw it for the sucker's bet it was. He took the money. Of course, I was dead already, so the joke's on him. You can't collect on bets when you appear to someone in a dream.

Yet they've added Herculez Gomez up top. That should help?

I'll tell you what will help -- The snipers stationed at the top of DSG park. They're trained on Gomez, ex-Marines, and if he wanders around the pitch like he did at LA, they're ordered to fire. It's a tough business, soccer. Tough. You have to be willing to take a shot to the kneecap, and Gomez understands that. You have to be. Otherwise the vig eats you alive. You have to stare fear in the face, know that you'll be devoured but come out the other side. Man or Superman. Make a choice.

So how will Colorado do this year? Playoff team? Cup contender?

Do you remember 1997? There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning. That was the handle — that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Our energy would simply PREVAIL. There was no point in fighting — on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave. But then we hit DC. So now, less than ten years later, you can go up on a ski lift in Boulder and look around, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark — that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back.

Thank you Dr. Thompson. A reminder that our match briefing is up, as is our birthday post, and the overdue debrief for the Chivas match.

Match Briefing for 12.01: At Colorado Rapids

Match #: 12.01

Opponent:
Colorado Rapids
0pts, 0GF, 0GA, 0GD
1st place (tie) Western Conference
1st place (tie) MLS

Six Word Novel Preview: The season starts. Bring it on.

TV: ABC, 3:30PM (ET)

Radio: WMET 1160AM

Previous Meeting: First meeting of season

The Stakes: Colorado wants to prove it can win without Joe Canon. That could be tough, but their defense does feature former United payers Mike Petke and Brandon Prideaux. Colorado would require both to have better than career average years to have a shot at the Western Conference. Still, the plan for Colorado will remain the same: Slip into the playoffs, knock off a higher seed, and see what happens. Winning in their new park against a good team would make for a great debut.

For United, the actual season starts. United stumbled against New York in the opener last year, but this team has undergone a few games to get into form. They've been training at altitude for most of the past two weeks, so Colorado's typical oxygen advantage may be somewhat diluted. Given Fernando Clavijo's style, I wouldn't be surprised to see a clogged midfield with physical, slogging marking that could neatly preview the how other teams gameplan DCU the rest of the season.

Previews from the DCUniverse: QuarterVolley

The DCenter Team's Location: D - Most likely at home. Kinney - TBD. Oscar - TBD.

Expectations: With the way United has played so far, three points on the road should be expected. A draw or loss is a disappointment. High expectations for the first game in a road environment where United is not known for getting points, but with almost everyone picking DCU to finish at the top of the East, high expectations are something they must be used to by now.

What to look for? Colorado's keeping situation is supposedly in flux, but regardless that will be a focus for the upcoming season. I expect that the Colorado defense will give up at least a few chances, and seeing how the keeper responds will be interesting.

For DC, look for signs of a hangover from Guadalajara. Can the Colorado midfield and defense neutralize Gomez, Moreno, and Emilio? Is the passing continuing to get sharper? Can someone please learn that clearing the ball to Row Z (as in Zed) is not a bad idea when compared to turning it over 35m from goal? Also, given that Gros is out with a concussion, the depth on the wing which was problematic even preseason now becomes a larger concern. Does Fred get his first start? Or DeRoux?

Finally, I fully expect Colorado to attack the 3-5-2 similarly to Chivas, with balls over the top into space. How well will Erpen and Namoff, and whomever is on the wing handle their defensive responsibilities to limit this attack?