STEVE CRONIN!

D.C. United 1 : 0 Columbus Crew

Six Word Novel Recap

A decent team, with terrible supporters.

Let me just start by saying that Steve Cronin impressed the hell out of me last night. He played confidently, and he did not hesitate to come off of his line or even out of the box. At one point last night, he ran almost to the corner flag to shield a Crew player off the ball until it ran out for a goal kick. He was completely alone in the corner, the goal mouth was empty and the wet conditions at RFK meant that if the ball had not rolled out, he would have been in a position needing to play the ball with his feet 1 v 1 against the attacking player. I wouldn't say that it was a nervous moment, because it worked out fine, but I mention it because it was the type of heads up, proactive goalkeeping that you don't see very often and with it, he made things a lot easier for himself. The score line shows him earning a 6 save shutout and he earned Man of the Match honors as a result of a text-message poll of fans there at RFK. I think it was well deserved, even more so than Emilio, your goal scorer, and Khumalo, the assist man.

I can't decide whether the Crew played like the best team in the league last night. On the one hand, they spent virtually the entire 2nd half in the United end. But on the other hand, they got shut out by a team struggling to even make the playoffs and only had 2 or 3 decent chances. One thing that I know for sure is that their supporters should definitely stay at home next time.

The most experience I've had with supporter's groups is with Barra Brava, Screaming Eagles and La Norte and so I've always thought of these groups as positive things. They support their team. It seems that these assholes from Ohio only came to RFK last night to unleash a barrage of senseless profanity. And don't get me wrong, I love me some profanity, but as my wife pointed out, the Crew supporters (does anyone know what their are known by? Massively Terrible?) were seated in a section directly above the VW Garage area, which was filled with little kids getting their faces painted and getting free VW t-shirts. So when Cronin took his first goal kick of the night, the Crew supporters responded very clearly with "FUCK YOU ASSHOLE!" My wife and I were still down there getting our VW t-shirts at that point and the looks of complete puzzlement on the 10 year old faces was saddening.

So I hope you guys enjoyed your visit to your nation's Capitol, but please, don't let Emilio's boot hit you in the ass on your way home. I hope your team loses the Supporter's Shield.

Oh yeah, hilarious story of the night: when GBS came over to the corner for an early corner kick, under the Crew supporter's section and right next to the VW Garage area where my wife and I were still standing, watching the first few minutes of play, the supporter's greated him with an ongoing chant of "Guillermo! Guillermo!" HAHAHA Because it sounded exactly like they were chanting, "Terrible! Terrible!"

CONCACAF Champions League - Cruz Azul @ CLB

It is a good thing that I am not a CLB fan right now. In the 41st minute of this CCL match, play is getting chippy as hell and C.A. just scored a second goal a few minutes after one of those stretches when the commentators say, "Uh, the ref really needs to get control of this game soon or someone is going to get hurt."

So I would really have lost it if I was a CLB supporter. Good thing...

In a personal note, I just got the FiOS hooked up today so in addition to this game I'm waching now, and the CD Marathon @ DCU I'll be watching tomorrow, I got to watch the Serie A: Udinese @ AC Milan early this afternoon.

Sweet.

Cheers all.

First Impressions -- Columbus Crew 1 : 1 D.C. United

I don't believe in the "win at home, draw on the road" theory, but that doesn't mean the idea doesn't have value. It has value, occasionally, it just shouldn't be a mantra. Columbus has come on recently, but the single significant win was a 2-1 victory over Chivas. The other four wins include 2 wins against Kansas City (including a nice 2-0 road win), a win at home against San Jose, and a win at home against New York. At home, Columbus has not beaten Chicago, D.C. or Toronto. Compare that to United, who at least can look at their home record and cite with some satisfaction home wins against the Fire and Dynamo. These three points were more valuable to Columbus than D.C., and yet D.C. looked like the more likely team to walk away with it.

Yes, Schelotto made Columbus a capable team at any moment, and yes, Columbus were not toothless. Yes, that's how this team seems to make its living, by picking chances and going through. But I was pleased with United's play, with their attack. Columbus was at home, facing a United team down Emilio, Moreno, and Quaranta, and if nothing else had to feel that failing to get the full points would be significant. Yet United, after a shaky opening 10 minutes, exerted more control on the match as it went on. Columbus never played like a team that felt it was going to win, it played like a team that was looking for a single chance, which they got.

There is much to be said for United's performance. Janicki, who looked somewhat miserable a few weeks ago, played well in the center of the back three. If anything, the concern I had was that Burch and Namoff both seemed to be losing touch with him, opening large gaps on either side. Boyzzz was acceptable as a starting winger, and showed that he deserves the occasional start in the future. Importantly, he didn't run himself out in the opening half hour, he played well for the 55 minutes he got. Pontius and Gomez both seemed to get stronger as the match progressed. N'Silu was far too deep back given his ball control skills in this match, his touch was off and he surrendered a few too many balls when he tracked back for them.

Ben Olsen was in his rightful position, and showed why the term is "Holding midfielder." He would hold possession, cutting the ball back with reason to extend United's midfield strength. He held position on several key tackles. When all else failed, he held a huge chunk of jersey from an opposing player. I don't know how long Ben can go this year, but this was a solid match from him.

United got a solid result against a conference opponent on the road. How can I be angry about that? More importantly, they denied points to Columbus. It is a strange feeling having to take Columbus seriously, and I don't particularly like it. So I'd rather have to take them seriously with them looking up at us then the other way around.

DCU @ CLB, Sunday, Oct 26

The final DCU match of the regular season, just like FREE BEER advertised at Hunan Number One Chinese restaurant in Clarendon, is TOMORROW. DC United needs a stone cold victory tomorrow to grab the last playoff spot.

COLUMBUS CREW vs. D.C. UNITED
COLUMBUS CREW STADIUM, Columbus, Ohio
Oct. 26, 2008 | 5 p.m. ET (ONN*; CSN-DC)

(*Does "ONN" stand for for the Onion News Network? Is the DCU match being broadcast by the Onion News Network?")

For all of your match preview needs, see dcunited.com, Behind The Badge or The Black & Gold Standard.

That last one is actually a huge joke, because as of 9:34pm EDT Saturday, there is NO MENTION of tomorrow's match on the official Columbus Crew blog. I guess that's the luxury of winning the supporter's shield - being able to look past your last regular season match to the first round of the playoffs. Never fear, however, because their blog does address issues such as: "celebrity bartending [...] with Frankie Hejduk, Duncan Oughton, Jason Garey and the Crewzers at Brewsky’s Sports Bar, the Crew’s official away game viewing headquarters", "Pat Noonan on CD101" (whatever DC101 wannabe radio station that is...) and the "2008 Team Awards Ceremony" complete with "Casino Night" at someplace called the "Lifestyles Community Pavilion". hahaha: Lifestyles.

So what's the point of all of this? I'll be LIVEBLOGGING the match tomorrow starting sometime around 5pm. I hope you will follow along with me during the match from your computers (since we don't really have an official away game viewing headquarters) and join me in the comments section to let me know when I type something stupid or possibly something hilarious.


Guest bartender Frankie Hejduk's hair is just as nice as some of the Crewzers'...

Debriefing for Match 13.04: Columbus Crew

D.C. United 1 : 2 Columbus Crew

Six Word Novel Recap

Never understood why Goldilocks preferred lukewarm.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Times, John Haydon: "Even with the strongest lineup coach Tom Soehn could use, D.C. United fell short last night at RFK Stadium. United lost 2-1 to the Columbus Crew before a crowd of 13,329. It wasn't as one-sided as Saturday's loss at Real Salt Lake in which three key players rested, but United's offense still struggled to find the right chemistry."
The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "Alejandro Moreno's sweeping shot from close range pushed Columbus (3-1) ahead in the 32nd minute. And later in the first half, after Bryan Namoff's deflected shot drew United even, the Crew needed just one minute to retake the lead."
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "Soehn was baffled with the miscommunication that seemingly plagued the United back line all night long. 'It should have been better than it was. They punished us when we didn't do a good job.'"
Soccer America, Ridge Mahoney: "Is it too soon for the fans of D.C. United to panic, given their team's depressing 2-1 loss to Columbus at RFK Stadium Thursday night? Of course it's too soon. But their misgivings are well-grounded. You can talk all you want about players getting to know each other and it's still April and they've had a heavy load of games and all that, but this team has been together for more than two months and doesn't show much leadership or competitive fire."
Hunt Park Insider, Matt Bernhardt: "The Columbus Crew's first victory in RFK Stadium came courtesy of an own goal from Richie Williams. So too did the team's latest conquest, as Sigi Schmid's men gutted out a 2-1 win Thursday night. The victory puts the Crew temporarily atop the MLS standings, with nine points from four games played. DC United, meanwhile, is in the Eastern Conference basement with the opposite record."
Behind the Badge, The Management: "[Emilio] There is no frustration here, we know the potential we have...[Gallardo] We need to get a couple of wins so we can gain confidence, not get desperate."
MLSNet, Chris Snear: "...it was Schelotto who controlled the midfield in the first half, orchestrating a far more fluid attack than his Argentine counterpart. Though United created ample chances, Gallardo was given very little space to play with very few options provided by his front runners. Most of United's attack was generated from the flanks with Fred on the left side and Bryan Namoff on the right."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "...the home side fluffed a string of scoring chances before Alejandro Moreno's grit and graft produced two goals that put United behind the 8-ball. Neither was pretty - the first, an awkward close-range finish to a fluid passing move and the second an own goal off Gonzalo Peralta just seconds after Bryan Namoff's equalizer - but both were just rewards for the Crew. The combined effect was devastating to D.C.'s fragile mindset."
BLCKDGRD, BDR: "it is time to start asking if the team is playing up, down, or equal to its players' - and coach's - ability, and I've got the uneasy feeling that what we're seeing might be the team's true level: the players just aren't very good, and the coach isn't capable of getting a greater result than the sum of his players."
The Far Post, Thaddeus Byron Aloysius Dopenhopper: "...time to call out some dudes...Emilio: The dude is a poacher. Poachers are streaky and frustrating. This season he’s being asked to hold the ball with his back to the goal, but MLS defenders have figured out if you lean on him he gets so distracted he can’t make the appropriate pass to a teammate."
DCUMD, Shatz: "The whole team seems way too tentative on offense. Instead of taking the quick cross or the one-time shot, United is more often holding the ball waiting for a play to develop, or sending it in to Emilio posting up with his back to the goal (which never works)."
The Offside - D.C. United, Jon: "One of the Gonzalos is good, the other one needs to wake up. The good one is Martinez, who had a strong match. Peralta once again got beat for goals. I say sit him in favor of McTavish."

UPDATES:

• Photo Gallery from Information Leafblower
• DCist, Matt Borque: "Despite Soehn's offensive substitutions, United could barely sniff a goal."
• An American's View, Brian Garrison
• Center Holds It, Jeff Bull: "'The Crew held on for the win': that’s one of the most limited of soccer cliches. It falls well short of letting one appreciate just how energetically Columbus defended, how they compensated for an occasional lack of organization by closing down fast and clamping down hard."
• Who ate all the Cupcakes?, Longshoe
  
• Poplar Point Perspective, JCM
  

The Good

1. Marcello Gallardo: Commenter Jeremy asks exactly the right skeptical question last night in the Impressions: "How can you praise Gallardo's 'vision' when this vision leads to a turnover and the end of any attacking chance. For me vision includes seeing the play developing, anticipating the reactions of your teammates and the defense and moving the play forward. I have not seen that from Gallardo." And Commenter Grunthos gets the answer exactly right: "Gallardo *is* seeing the developing play better than his teammates and trying to direct the flow of the offense. With depressing frequency, his teammates ignore his suggestions or fail to understand them... the turnovers are not occurring because Marcelo made a bad choice, they are occurring because the other guys aren't reading his moves well." This is perfect, and means I don't have to do any work answering the question. Ah, the joys of laziness.
2. Key Coaching Decision Making: Tom Soehn's line-up and substitutions were all reasonable and fine. I enjoyed the double-substitution early in the second half. Now we need to start thinking about what exactly the "Best XI" for United is. More on that below.
3. Gonzalo Martinez: Really, his tackling, his presence, and his marking are excellent. If the United defense could be a little more competent, he may be putting forward a Defender of the Year type season if this continues.
   
4. The Columbus Second Half: You can complain about teams sitting on the lead, or you can credit Columbus for playing an excellent half with a one goal lead. They kept their shape the entire 45 minutes, they defended well, and they limited United to one or two dangerous balls the entire time. They deserve credit for that, and I will give it to them.
5. Checking in with the others: Saw this guy last night, who, like me, starts composing his blog posts around half-time. And to the three or four other people who dropped by to say kind things, I appreciate it.
   

The Bad

1. Lieutenant Zack Wells: I think sometimes small moments illustrate big problems better than the goals do, so let me direct your attention to the second half, sometime around the 55th minute. Columbus attempts to play a through ball behind the United back line, but the pass is errant. Gonzalo Martinez starts to track the ball down facing his own goal. Robbie Roger, I think, starts to apply some high pressure. Now, Martinez has three options: 1 - He can try and turn the ball himself and play out of the back. 2 - He can send a back pass to Wells to play out of the back. 3 - He can guard the ball back to Wells who can pick it up. Wells comes out of his box, and it looks like Option 3 will be well executed.
   
   But then Wells suddenly backpeddles four steps, just as Martinez can hear footsteps. What now? The back pass could be risky, playing it youself can lead to a costly turnover, and Wells suddenly isn't in position to pick the ball up. With some frantic movement, Wells suddenly reapproaches the ball and kicks it directly to his left for a Columbus attacking throw. And then Wells yells at Martinez, after not having taken charge earlier despite being able to see the entire field. Which is ridiculous. Wells is clearly the one who should be commanding the play as he can see what's happening. Accordingly, Mr. Wells, we demote you from O-4 to O-3, and you are now a Lieutenant in the Goalkeeping Navy.
2. Defense on the Left: Both goals had unfortunate breakdowns on the left side, and I won't even go into the Wells decision to leave the net on the second goal. I mean, he was in a perfectly fine position to guard the post for any keeper not named Tony Meola. I'd like to see Devon McTavish taken out of the midfield role (replace him with Quaranta or Kirk, please) and used more as an augment to the defense as needed. Bleh.
3. Cutting-in: Fred, I love your workrate, and your willingness to run. I'm just tired of seeing you get a ball at the corner of the box and 95% of the time cutting it back into the middle on the dribble.
   
4. Emilio: See last night's post. With his back to goal, he's looking awful.

Officiating Watch

Both ARs were excellent, and I didn't disagree with a single flag that went into the air. Center official Jair Marrufo was his typical self, which is a shame. I would really like to see a replay of the first time Emilio was taken down in the box, as from my seats (Sec 236) it looked like a penalty, but given that I couldn't see if Emilio was also shirt grabbing, I can't really make a definitive call. That being said, Mr. Lars next to me saw a lot of two footed tackles not get called (both ways) and that's really not right kids.

Likert Scale Grade: 2 - Below Average

Man of the Match

N/A. Merit Awards to Gallardo and Martinez, your goat is, I think, Zack Wells (though Peralta and Emilio both are candidates)

Adjusted Results

A-ha! If I can find a replay of that Emilio take-down, I might adjust one goal up for United. Or if there's consensus in the comments. So it's either no change, or a 2-2 match. What say you?

UPDATE: Commenter Jason caught the replay, and argues for DC +1.5 for a DOGSO red to Frankie. I'm not sure I can go that far, but at least it confirms the initial thought of a clear penalty (combined with some good other chances). So the adjusted result is +1 goal for D.C, for a final score of DC 2 : 2 CLB. For the season, D.C. United's adjusted record is 1-2-1 (4pts); 7GF, 10GA, -3GD.

Final Thoughts

There need to be changes. Personally, I'd start with the place where it seems we have the most options, and take out McTavish for Kirk or, more likely, Quaranta. I mean, yes, thank you for your goals in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, but it's just not working Devon. Sub him in on the defense, or start him for Peralta for a game.

I'm not sure that we're a bad team, as BDR might argue. I see a whole lot of talent on the field, and not just on paper. But our lack of a coherent attack as a team is concerning. We improvise nicely, but that only takes you so far. I love improvisation, but Whose Line Is It Anyway? never won a dramatic Emmy. Or a BAFTA, for those of you who remember Tony Slattery. Regardless, we're not on the same page. And we've had, as Mr. Mahoney notes, 8 games to get on the same page. That's not good.

That being said, I'm less annoyed by this result than the RSL result. The RSL game was a game where we deserved the thrashing we received. This game was a bit unfortunate, as we had some very nice moments in the opening thirty minutes. There was progress, sadly it was progress from one of the most ridiculous losses in our history. So I'm not about to scream and yell. Yet. A loss, with extra rest, at home against RSL... that would be pretty much intolerable, right? Right.

First Impressions - D.C. United 1 : 2 Columbus Crew

It was better than the match against Real Salt Lake. Then again, having my testicles eaten by fire ants would have been better than the game in Salt Lake.

First, let's address the key thing: I have no issues with the formation, the substitutions, or much of the reasoning behind this match. Certain players played very well (Gonzalo Martinez, Gallardo) and others did not (Wells, McTavish, and Emilio). Everyone else was sort of in-between, neither awful nor amazing. But there are things that worry me.

The particular involved Luciano Emilio and his inability to take the ball with his back to goal and not fall down. The general is a feeling that this team has not settled on a coherent theory of attack. Gallardo has amazing vision, but what he sees isn't what people are doing. Gallardo doesn't anticipate Moreno, who doesn't quite get Quaranta, who sends the ball into the Emilio, who falls down. And that's... dis-heartening. It's as if they're playing a pick-up game, which at times can produce great moments, but other times just seems disorganized with everyone taking about one to two seconds two long to figure out where everyone is around them.

So it's a tough game. Not a debacle like Salt Lake, certainly a better match, but hardly a ringing call for hope. It is a game that fits my mood: Dark, Disjointed, Drunk. Perhaps tomorrow I will have a better sense, but right now it's just sad.

Debriefing for Match 11.30: Columbus Crew

D.C. United 2 : 3 Columbus Crew

Six Word Novel Recap

Not with a bang - a whimper.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, The Bog Man: "With little at stake in its regular season finale last night, D.C. United's grand plan was to avoid injury and build momentum before the MLS playoffs start this week. United failed miserably on both counts. "
The Washington Times, John Haydon: "Argentine star Guillermo Barros Schelotto found Robbie Rogers with a pass, and the former Maryland standout tapped the ball through the legs of United goalie Troy Perkins, who had run out to the edge of his box in an attempt to stop the Crew striker. Brian Carroll was also at fault on the goal, having allowed Rogers to get past him."
UnitedMania, Jimmy LaRoue: "Gomez, though, took advantage of a Crew handball in the box to convert a penalty, cutting the lead to 3-2 in the third minute of stoppage time. That was it for a depleted, and disappointed United, lamenting the loss of two of its playmakers, and for losing its end-of-season momentum going into the playoffs."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "The visitors ran out in a 3-5-2 formation that seemed to confound the Black-and-Red at times..."

The Good

1. Kpene: For all the talk about him not scoring, the real problem with his play was the way he was allowing himself to get manhandled in many of his recent performances. Quite simply, he just wasn't strong on the ball, and he wasn't strong off the ball, which means he was... well, quite weak actually. No, he didn't finish, but we saw more toughness from him, and better holding abilities, plus the ability to turn around a few players. His best performance in the second half of the season.
   
2. Ben Olsen: Tired Ben Olsen and Rested Ben Olsen will still run around. They'll both throw themselves at players with abandon. They'll both yell at people, and recently Ben Olsen seems to be borrowing a few pages from How to Attract the Attention of Your Midfielder When You're Along on the Wing by Bobby Convey. Here's the difference between tired Ben Olsen and rested Ben Olsen -- Rested Ben Olsen has so much more energy it spills over into the other players, and clear across the field, making players like Fred even more dangerous. That's a good thing.
   
3. Fight all the Way: I do credit United for pushing the entire match, and even having some very good chances against Hesmer. They put a goal on the scoreboard late to make it interesting. And credit should also go to the Crew, who played an entertaining game. Some times your team sucks, some times their team is really good, and in some moments in this game both were true.

The Bad

1. The Pain:Moreno getting hurt is problematic. Emilio getting hurt could be downright disastrous. Both of them carrying knocks into a playoff match on Thursday night (i.e. Short Rest) does not make me feel good about executing an attacking strategy on the road. More on that later.
2. Recovery Speed: Let me say something heretical: We missed Facundo Erpen last night. No one on United's defense the last few years has been better at getting back when an opposing player has been sent through than Erpen was. The point is not that we should get Erpen back, but rather that letting players come through on balls like that is a problem. Yes, Carroll is the one who was obviously seen as the guy getting beat on the first goal, but it didn't help that Boswell was pulled far from the center of the field to a Columbus player who ultimately ended his run on the wrong side of the touchline. We didn't have a good shape, and had nothing to bail us out.
   
3. Blog Fatigue: I'm not innocent on this, considering there was no debrief for Chicago, but the season seems to have taken its toll on United related bloggers. Few words written, even in anger, about the result on Saturday. Hey, I can understand that, time to refocus on the playoffs... sort of like the team. Okay, that's perhaps a bit of an aggrandizement. Okay, more than a bit.
   

Man of the Match

None assigned. We lost.

Karma Bank

+1 for the season entering the match. Not a whole lot of karma transactions in this one. Referee Terry Vaughn called a decent game, with few things that would make me upset. I'm going to say -1 for playing an ugly game on a night honoring the '97 team, and +1 for the unfortunate injuries to both Moreno and Emilio. That's no change for the game, +1 for the season, meaning we're owed one decent break in the playoffs.

Final Thoughts

When this game became meaningless, it was hard not to lose focus even as a fan. But more and more I'm upset that Tom Soehn didn't fully transfer this game to the reserves. That's what we wanted, and that's what we didn't get and may end up paying for.

So now we look to the playoffs, and we'll have Chicago on successive Thursday nights. Again, I don't believe the last game of the season has jack to do with momentum. The away game in Chicago is the real momentum builder game, and that could be a tough game. Even if Emilio and Moreno play, in all likelihood neither will be 100% fit. Which is a problem, since it might encourage negative road soccer. It was getting away from negative road soccer that inspired this team when they went out and won against New England in the final third of the season, and truly sparked something for this team. Even a scoreless draw on the road will have some people talking about how United still can't score against Chicago in the playoffs.

We invent curses, to some degree. And then we ignore the counter-factual evidence. There was a time when "Only Chicago beats United in MLS knockout competitions" which was true until New England did it last year. And United will never win against Chicago in the playoffs, until they do. There will be a playoff match that features United defeating Chicago, although it may not be this year. Do I think we're a more talented team than the Fire? Yes, but I also think the Fire may be playing better soccer right now than we are. That can be reversed, but it will be difficult. I imagine some people may well pick the Fire as the odds-on choice for first round upset winners (A buck says Luis Bueno will make that choice.)

What's interesting is that considering late season results balanced against the entire year, there's no team that I feel is the odds on favorite to take the cup this year. Everyone has problems, or difficult paths. Honestly, with Kansas City shifting over the West's bracket, perhaps Chivas has the inside track.

All of that changes if United can make a statement in Chicago. Which they must do. Even if they manage to squeak by Chicago 1-0, I won't feel good facing New England or New York in the Conference Finals. This team has had enough time to regroup, and they've taken it. All of it. There is no more time left.

First Impressions - D.C. United 2 : 3 Columbus Crew

Concede.

So I come back from a week on the road to find out that Kevin Payne has had a small stroke, but is apparently recovered, to see that United's unbeaten streak is over, and to see the stadium situation has gone utterly charlie foxtrot. I mean, what the hell people? Can't you do this crap when I'm around to devote time to it? Bah...

We finish at 55 points, a Supporter's Shield to our credit (though potentially only won on a tiebreaker depending on results later tonight), and a team looking at the playoffs with another kind of streak: 0 for October. Add to that injuries to our two starting forwards, a somewhat fatigued Ben Olsen, a definitely fatigued Namoff...and yet...

Yet I don't think this is a point to panic. United was more creative than I recall, especially facing a team that wanted to bunker. The finishing wasn't there, but this team wasn't a team that looked desperate for a clue. They had ideas. Their defensive form wasn't excellent, but it wasn't as bad as the three goals suggest in the score line. They are out-of-sync, yes, but not out-of-gas.

It is somewhat fashionable for United fans recently to expect that worst. And certainly there is enough for you to look for along those lines. But part of me never buys the momentum theory (you can see what I wrote last year along those lines.) If there is to be momentum, let it come in the away leg of the playoffs. Winning against Columbus wasn't going to give this team confidence, not the way the '04 team took something form going up 2-nil on Metro in the Meadowlands. That's where momentum comes in. And you can see it one game, as you could in 2004. The moment where potential energy converts to kinetic. Where gravity is scorned, and static friction becomes fiction. I can feel that potential in this team right now. It isn't inevitable, but it is a possibility, and it makes the coming playoff games intriguing.

Rereading these previous paragraphs, it reads more like a Final Thoughts of a Debrief than a First Impression, so let me add this: Gomez had a good game, and Olsen proved once again that he is the heart of this team right now. McTavish and Namoff were both exposed again. As much as Boswell's positioning can be troublesome, he is easily the best defender in the air this team has, and that's a skill we need. Kpene had a decent game, let's not forget he is in his first year. I much prefer seeing him up top than Dyachenko. I still feel that we know Dyachenko's highest potential, but I think Kpene can get so much better. Mediate was a non-factor, which is not a good thing.

Part of me feels that Tom Soehn wasn't gunning for this game, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I mean, yes, keep the starters healthy, but we really didn't manage that, did we? Why put Olsen in, as good as he is, when you know he may get hurt and you can use him next week. Why not start Dyachenko at midfield, Jeff Carroll, Justin Moose, and Nicholas Addlery? It seemed like an awkward compromise between resting people and still trying to get a result. I'd have preferred that we just concede the game outright to the reserves. But we didn't. Instead we were neither one thing nor the other. And I would expect a team like that to be out of sorts for 40 minutes or so. Which we certainly were.

Debriefing for Match 12.19: At Columbus Crew

Columbus Crew 0 : 2 D.C. United

Six Word Novel Recap

Emilio takes ball, wallet, from Hendrickson.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Columbus Dispatch, Shawn Mitchell: "United did not play its finest but still handed the Crew a 2-0 loss...Brazilian midfielder Fred struck in the 52nd minute, and 11 minutes later Luciano Emilio scored for a league-leading 14th time."
The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "In the 52nd minute, Christian Gomez nodded Bryan Namoff's cross off the left post, collected the stray ball and had his second attempt blocked. The ball caromed toward the top of the penalty area, where Fred blasted a 17-yard one-timer into the upper right side for his third goal of the season."
The Washington Times, Joe Reedy: "United took advantage of a Columbus lapse for its second goal. After Ezra Hendrickson intercepted a pass by Fred near the penalty area, he tried to clear it in the opposite direction. Then Emilio, who easily put it past Hesmer just outside the goal area..."
MLSNet, Nathan Linton: "Both United head coach Tom Soehn and Crew boss Sigi Schmid said that much of the play in the first half favored the Crew."
MLSNet, Nathan Linton: "...the Crew started to press over the final half-hour. Schelotto had a free kick barely miss four teammates in the box in the 69th minute before being punched away by United 'keeper Troy Perkins. Then three minutes later Perkins saved a goal again after Columbus midfielder Duncan Oughton hustled to the ball, colliding with the right post but pulling the ball back across the face of goal. Perkins scrambled to control the ball and nearly carried across the line before hurling it back out, but referee Richard Heron ruled that Alejandro Moreno fouled Perkins..."
BlackDogRed, BDR: "I am taking nothing away from this game but three points, admittedly on the road, against a mediocre team in hideous kits. S'better than losing, s'better than tieing, it's the minimum requirement after Wednesday's shoepuke, but ultimately it's just a win against crappy yellow team."
Poplar Point Perspective: "Gomez looked better than he has in a month."
The Edgell Supporters: "Simms is an upgrade at defensive mid because of his distribution (not always perfect but better than Carroll) and his ability to shut a lot of stuff down coming through midfield. I hate to say this because of what it means, but we did not really miss Boswell tonight..."
Six Yards North, QJA: "Fred is magical...It wasn't just his strike, which opened the scoreboard as well as United's attack. It was Fred's urgency, which ensured positive movement up the pitch; it was his persistence, which ensured focused, dynamic attack on goal; and it was his thrilling movement on the ball, which ensured that the audience was at the edge of their seats and that the Crew were at the edge of their collective wits. Simply put, United is better as a team when Fred is on the field."
The Offside: Columbus Crew, Scott: "We moved the ball well against them, we came forward often and with intent, but we never really looked that much like scoring. I was particularly impressed with Hejduk’s runs down the right side, the guy never gives up. The second half was largely a different story altogether..."

The Good

1. Second Half Revival: That first half was an utterly disheartening bit of soccer. Neither team looked particularly good, but the Crew overall looked less bad. The second half was a different story, but I'm not sure what caused it. Was United playing that much better before the goal? Maybe, but after Fred broke the deadlock, they certainly established control of the game. Chicken and Egg a bit there. They went on to do very well until they packed it in for the final 13 or so minutes.
   
2. Tackling: One frustrating thing of this season was United not showing enough bite in their tackles, something that they seem to be reversing. This game United had more fouls, but that's largely because they were disrupting play as much as possible in midfield.
   
3. Fight for the shirt: A loss is frustrating, but a loss when the team never has it together? Infuriating. This was somehow not the opposite, but the contrapositive you will. The team never was in sync, but they were fighting through it. There were giveaways, but the team was rallying back to fight for the ball. Luciano Emilio's goal was all about not giving up on the play, pressuring Ezra Hendrickson into turning the ball the wrong way. I'll take that.
   

The Bad

1. TV: Had to watch the game on MLS Live, which came through fine for me but subjected me to ads for Fort Rapids, Ohio's largest indoor waterpark. DO NOT WANT. (That being said, the pbp/color combination in Columbus is much better than most local teams. Credit where it is due.)
   
2. Backline shuffle: The Edgell Supporters didn't miss Boswell, but I think I did, especially in that opening twenty minutes. One thing Boswell does well is play the sweeper role, tidying up some ugly moments in the back by getting the ball out of the box. Given the number of low balls on the ground that Hejduk sent through that missed everyone, I think Boswell deals with those fairly well. He's even better at getting that tall head of his to sloppy aerial balls in the box, clearing them out of the box (sometimes right to an attacker, but hey, better there than around the six yard area.) Burch had a tough game, Vanney was acceptable but not stunning, and Namoff had his hands full. Given that United's central defense was a bit put together, I'm surprised Columbus didn't try to come down the middle more. Part of that was Clyde Simms, but the other part is that Columbus loves dealing the ball wide to Frankie and playing the soccer equivalent of Plinko with his
   

Man of the Match

Fred. Six Yards North has this right, he did an awful lot on the ball to earn that goal. The return of Gomez was nice, and Moreno is playing better now than I can remember, so special merit awards to them. Also merit awards to Emilio, Mediate, Simms, and Perkins.

Karma Bank

Interesting night karma wise...

+1 for the post denying Gomez, -1 for the fortunate series of rebounds that led to Fred finding the shot in stride. +1 for Emilio's persistence in tracking down that second goal. +1 for Perkins making sure of the clean sheet even if he had been fouled, -1 for conceding so much of the opening half but escaping without a goal. +1 for the game, +3 for the season... so we're still owed.

Final Thoughts

While I'm thrilled at the result, I can't help but feel that if Columbus had put away an early chance that we might be looking at a 1-nil loss coming out of Ohio. Still, this win is important. Finishing off August with wins in league play is huge for this team, as September starts with three games in eight days against good teams (At Dallas, At Chivas, Home to the Revs). United will drop some points in those games, but stockpiling results now helps.

The other good news is checking the standings. Not the race for the supporter's shield, which I still want, but rather my bet with The Kin of Fish. Tied with New York and a game in hand... a much better scenario than at the start of the season. If we can finish off August, things will look much better there. Frankly, I've had enough pain this season, I don't need to be heading into Lot 8 in RBNY colors. C'mon United, my physical well being is in your hands.

Casualties...

...OF THE COLUMBUS CREW: The poor season the Crew are having has claimed its first non-player casualty. Sadly, it is Jeff Bull, an excellent writer and mind who is now leaving The Offside: Columbus Crew. He just couldn't take it anymore. Jeff is one of the better soccer analyst minds out there in our amateur ranks, so It's a Simple Game will certainly be bolstered by his more continual presence. And let's face it, we've all seen games that if it wasn't our team playing in them, they would bore us to tears. It's just that it almost seems like every game Columbus plays is like that.

...OF MEDIA INDIFFERENCE: QuarterVolley with your local Women's Soccer Update. Seriously, this is great to see, and I'm glad someone is putting this out there. I certainly intend to get to a few games of the Majestics and Freedom this year, and I hope you will as well. And I hope that I-66 gets some coverage of the games I don't see.

...OF THE NEW YORK MINUTE (WEEK, MONTH, QUARTER...): QuarterVolley's take is also excellent on this matter.

Off the record, he added, "we're 11 years behind schedule on playing good soccer, so you know we're not in any hurry."

That's funny.

Debriefing for Match 12.03: At Columbus Crew

Columbus Crew 1 : 0 D.C. United

Six Word Novel Recap

The summer: Days longer, Nights depressing.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "...the Crew secured a 1-0 victory before 13,572 shelter-seeking spectators to leave United (0-3) with its worst start since the inaugural campaign in 1996 and the longest regular season losing streak (six, dating from last year) in club history."
MLSNet, Nathan Linton: "...the tie was broken as Ngwenya found some room down the left wing in transition and laid the ball back for Hendrickson at the spot. Hendrickson's initial effort was cleared away from the goalmouth by Devon McTavish, but the Crew defender was able to gather the rebound and bury the ball in the lower left corner of the net..."
Poplar Point Perspective: "Is it time to blow this thing up?"
United Mania Blog: "The BlackMaroon-and-Red is a team on a downward spiral. Coach Soehn better find a solution quickly"
Harv's World: "Devon McTavish started and played well. He did what I think Soehn (and myself) were expecting. Just play solid defense, nothing flashy, stay at home."
Hunt Park Insider, Matt Bernhardt: "The game was interrupted for a lightning delay for about 20 minutes in the 84th minute as fans scurried for the exits - or at least a dry patch of stadium. After the rains cleared, the teams resumed play for the last 6 minutes of regulation time - although neither team had a significant opportunity to change the scoreline."
Soccer Insider, Steve Goff: "BEN OLSEN[:] I felt like defensively we were much better, and that's a positive out of this thing. It's just important we go forward. I thought the defense played with more of a chip on its shoulder and we were pretty compact for the most part... TROY PERKINS[:] Once again, I've got to make a [bleeping] save. It's as simple as that. There's nothing else to say."

The Good

1. Boswell, Namoff, and McTavish for Erpen: Devon McTavish was decent, Bobby Boswell more agressive in his tackling, and the back line was acceptable, though hardly facing a true test in Columbus. However, if this level of play repeats in the New England game, things will feel a bit better.
   
2. Justin Moose: In his last appearence, I thought he was jobbed in the assessments of his performance. Coming into the middle for this game, he played decently.
3. Tactical Moves: Something to consider for the still nascent "Fire Soehn" movement - His tactical changes seemed to be the correct ones. United was able to move the ball through midfield, only to have attacks whimper out in the final third.
   

The Bad

1. Brian Carroll: These giveaways are killers. When you give the ball up from the backline, you typically at least have your defense back and marking people so that if nothing else, the turnover doesn't quite catch you out of position. When you give up the ball a few yards from the center circle, players are running up the field, and the time it takes to turn around can be a killer.
   
2. Subdued Attack: We should be able to score goals. Any clean sheet is a disappointment, especially one where we were actually able to move the ball around. Yes, I know Sigi can pack it in with the best of them. Doesn't matter, this team should be creating chances, especially down a goal.
3. Frustration breeds frustration: I don't put much stock in form, but I do believe that losing can become a habit, as players become more upset about results. You can shake off a loss or two, but three losses and you mind can start to fray. I think the relative quick turnaround of games (Thursday and Sunday) helps United, because any time to start thinking about how badly things are going will help no one.
4. How was the play Mrs. Lincoln?: Yes, I went to the theater on Saturday night, and TiVoed the game. Very disappointed that SportsNite delayed the game even father, and cut off the end. Caught the replay on MLSNet, but man... Oh, and by the way, the RSC's Coriolanus is completely overrated. Sure, he's a great warrior, but his method of starting a counter-attack seems to involve giving speeches to his fellow soldiers, covering himself in his enemies' blood, and then talking about how much he hates the common people. Not a fan favorite. TRADE FOR PERICLES! (Hamlet just dithers over the ball debating whether to shoot or not... kind of like Jamie Moreno at times)
   

Man of the Match

N/A

Final Thoughts

There are no final thoughts, only intermediary thoughts which require discussion. Let's at least point out the main subjects:

1. How do we evaluate Tom Soehn?
2. Why is this team faltering?
3. Is DC bad, or has MLS gotten better? (Quick answer, of course, is "Yes")
4. Can we turn this around?

All of this should be touched on as we post this week.

First Impressions - Columbus Crew 1 : 0 DC United

Forget the six word novel preview, we can sum up that game in one word, ugly. The past couple of games United has been playing ugly but made the other team look real good. The Crew didn't look good doing it, but still strolled away with three points. I don't really know what to say about this game, or this season for that matter. After this debacle I doubt United makes the playoffs. Please, please, please prove me wrong United.

Sohen started the same formation with different people. Sohen got the same result with different people. Now I am not saying its the formation, I seriously think we can win with a 3-5-2. I think it might be easier with a 4-4-2, but at this point DC's problems are more than just tactical. Gomez, Carroll, Boswell, and Perkins are not delivering like they were last year. Not all of them are horrible (though Carroll is getting close), but that is the spine of DC United and all of them are under performing. Moreno has been invisible. Fred showed flashes of brillance but always came up short of delivering, just like someone else that played that position last year. The list goes on, but like I said earlier, I really just don't know what to say that will be of any help.

Match Briefing for 12.03: At Columbus Crew

Match #: 12.03

Opponent:
Columbus Crew
3pts, 2GF, 2GA, 0GD
5th place Eastern Conference
9th place MLS

Six Word Novel Preview: Can DC United get a ****ing point?

TV: MLS DirectKick, 7:30PM (ET), CSN (Delayed), 8:30PM (ET)

Radio: WMET 1160AM

Previous Meeting: First meeting of season

The Stakes: DC United needs to prove the first two results were an aberration. Columbus needs to back up close games with more points. As of right now this is a battle of the bottom feeders, can one team show enough that they should be considered playoff contenders?

Previews from the DCUniverse: QuarterVolley, Ben Olsen's Beard, EDIT: Goff's Preview

The DCenter Team's Location: D - At the Kennedy Center. Kinney - Kitty O'Sheas.
Oscar - TBD.

Expectations: Tie. DC hasn't proven anything since dropping their first two matches of the regular season. Columbus has tied anyone and everyone, but is missing their main striker. I would love a win, but being rational, I am expecting a disappointing tie.

What to look for? I would like to see better midfield control and more organization in the back. United should be able to get a goal or two, even against a stingy Crew defense. The question will be how do they handle Columbus' speed up top?

Make sure to figure out United's formation when they start out. There have been some hints of a 4-4-2, so look at Josh Gros to see if he is playing further back than usual. Hopefully Fred will see some more time, I don't know how comfortable he is on the wing but hopefully DC didn't put him on the team to be a substitute. Rumors have McTavish starting in place of Erpen, lets see if the DCU brain trust are right to think they have enough defensive depth.

An Expert View on the Columbus Crew

This year, the first time D.C. United plays a team, we're trying to arrange interviews with experts on the local scene to help us understand the sports scene better. With Columbus, we weren't sure who we should ask for, so we just wrote the Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism to supply us with an expert or two. There seemed to be some miscommunication between us, but after the civil servants were directed to the Columbus Crew "One Nation, Sod 'em all" website, they promised to send two people right over. Ah, here comes someone now!



What's happening?






Um… well, this is a surprise. Greg Oden, Ohio State star, future top draft pick, it's a pleasure to welcome you to the DCenters. I had no idea you were a fan of the Columbus Crew.




The what now?





The Columbus Crew… the soccer team?




They said you wanted an expert on Columbus sports. And I'm it baby. All Columbus cares about is me and Tressel.





But you're not even going to be in Columbus next year. You've declared for the draft.


But people will remember me from Ohio State. I was unforgettable. People know my name. Names are important. Especially four letter names. That's why Pele was so good. Four letters. The british soccer player who was the original drummer for the Beatles? Four letters. And the Columbus coach… Sigi? Four letters. Names matter. Anyone on DC have a four letter name?



Well, Fred, of couse. And if names are so important, then why does your USA Basketball profile identify you in the title bar as Kobe Bryant?


That's just because I'm training to be the next Kobe. Four letters. You can tell a lot about how teams will do from their training. In fact, I bet you I can determine who will win this soccer game just from training. Where did Columbus train this off-season.




California and North Carolina I think.




There's a lot of winning done in those states. Now how about the team you like, what are they called, the DC United?






Yes, well, DC United trained in Florida for most of the preseason –




(gulp)






Sorry?






Go on… you were saying…




Yes, DC trained in Florida --



-- Let's not talk about Florida. Okay. Maybe you should talk to the other guy they sent over.




Other guy?



Me.





Oh dear…


That's right, David Hodo, the Construction Worker for the greatest band of all time. Four letters in "Oden," four letters in "Hodo," and four letters in Y-M-C-A! When talking about Columbus, you have to use four letter words!



I think we've learned about as much as we're going to learn here. Thanks to both of you for coming by --




In the Navy…





Yes, you can sail the seven seas!







In the Navy…




Yes, you can live a life of ease!







WE WANT YOU. WE WANT YOU. WE WANT YOU AS A NEW RECRUIT... AND BRING A PIZZA. TWO ACTUALLY. AND MAYBE ONE FOR YOURSELF.




Oh, for fuck's sake, who let Sigi in? And you're a landlocked state... and where'd Greg get that hat? Whatever... we'll have the Match Briefing up in the next day or so. My thanks to Greg, David, and to the Indian Chief and the Sailor, wherever they are.

Damn that television!

TAPE DELAY: CSN announces that next week's Crew-United game will be shown on a delayed basis to allow the Wizz enough time to lose game 3 of their playoff series against Cleveland. So if you're tuning in, plan to tune in at 8:30PM. And who does the radio calls of the Wizz when Dave Johnson is doing TV for United?

TSN REVIEW: Eric, while you're dispensing out yellow cards, how about one to ESPN for their promise of the offside line technology. As far as I can tell, the new offside technology consists of you playing Win, Lose, or Draw with the telestrator and Tommy Smyth taking the role of Bert Convy. Otherwise, another enjoyable game to catch as a neutral, even with Columbus deciding to take minutes 45-70 off for siesta. And was ESPN getting a percentage from Buck-a-Brat night, given how often they mentioned it? I have to say that the three man booth worked reasonably well, and Tommy Smyth wasn't nearly as intrusive as certain people feared. He kept his own personality in check and fit neatly. IF this keeps up, I think TNS will gain ratings because the games are proving enjoyable to watch.

Plus, not that we wish bad things to happen to anyone, but could Andy Herron's elbow have leveled a nicer guy than Jay Heaps? Yes, if you must know, part of me considered it a win-win development. Look, sometimes I'm not very pure. I accept that.

...Because "Revolution Mutiny: a Clash" wasn't nearly as hopeful

TNS! TNS! Thursday Night Soccer, and I'm looking forward to it. Strange, most neutral games, even the ABC/ESPN ones, weren't something I cared a great deal about (usually because I had to leave at half-time to get out to the DCU tailgate.) That's something nice about Thursday Night Soccer I hadn't anticipated, the fact that it allows me to take in MLS games as a neutral devoid of any other soccer context. Makes it easier to enjoy. On a side note, headline writers in New England are clever for fitting three team names into a four word sentence, but are they accurate, or even sensible?

CHARM CITY, STRANGE CITY: Baltimore, as rumored in Goff's Blog, gets wing of a chance to see united play. Honestly, if it happens then I'm not too upset (better there than Seattle again). I can make it up I-95 to a game, even from NoVa. And the Ravens seem interested:

"We'd be very interested in hosting a game or games," Mannion said. "The key issue centers on the field surface, but I think the size of the stadium is perfect. We can house 30,000 in the lower bowl and 8,000 on the club level, which creates the intimate environment soccer fans are used to."

The thing about Charm City is that it adds a weak isospin of +1/2 to the ball. My only hope to avoid a complete nerd label is that no one figures out what I meant by that.

TRIBUTE: I missed this story yesterday, but wanted to highlight it now. I never heard of Scott Alexander when I grew up in MoCo, but this article makes it clear just how loved he was. He was a Steelers fan, and a soccer man, two things that I respect. And good on DCU for doing something for this event.

Cup of Coffee and a Newspaper

With two weeks until the next game, I think we'll have some time to explore multiple issues on this site. Which is nice. Here's the quick news for the morning before I delve into other topics...

FORMATION CHANGES? Goff reports that the United brass see problems in the defense. That being said, the final graf is not reassuring:

"At the end of the day, you shouldn't give up four goals in our house -- it can't happen -- and it's not the result of not planning or not signing any defenders in the offseason," Kasper said. "We think Devon is going to take off and John is still a very solid sub, in our mind. Will we, at some point, feel the need to sign another defender? Quite possibly so."

In short, there are problems, and we have bandaids, but we think we may have missed the boat.

Personally, I maintain that the 3-5-2, when properly executed, can still work for this team with its current personnel. That being said, there's a thin margin of error there, as we have seen, and while the 3-5-2 can work, you have to wonder if another formation wouldn't give United a better chance of performing well. To his credit, I believe that Tom Soehn feels like he has to give all of his players the best chance to succeed that he can for every game, and if he feels that a 3-5-2 given him a 50% chance to win, and a 4-4-2 gave him a 70% chance, he'd flip in a heartbeat (please excuse the oversimplification of tactics).

LATE REVIEWS: QuarterVolley - "This is unacceptable."

COLUMBUS JUST GOT HARDER TO BEAT: Yes, this would make them better. I imagine this guy feels like his beat just got a bit more fun to follow.