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

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

Six Word Novel Recap

"Way to avoid losing!" Now win.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

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

The Good

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

The Bad

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

Officiating Watch

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

Likert Scale Grade: 2 - Below Average

Karma Bank

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

Man of the Match

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

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

Debriefing for Match 14.07: F.C. Dallas

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

Six Word Novel Recap

Ponce de Leon should check Bolivia.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Dallas Morning News, Frank Servalli: "Despite being outshot, outmuscled and outplayed, FC Dallas somehow managed to escape the first half Saturday night against D.C. United with a 1-0 lead.Rather than take advantage, FCD (1-5-1) coughed up the lead in the first minute of the second half and allowed another goal 10 minutes later and fell, 2-1, at RFK Stadium."
The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "[Moreno's] goals 10 minutes apart and all-around brilliance helped United (3-1-3) overcome a halftime deficit and validate a mostly dominant performance by the home club in front of 14,225 spectators. "
The Washington Times, Patrick Stevens: "It was Moreno's first multigoal game since April 26, 2008, against Real Salt Lake, and came on a night he was honored for becoming the first player in MLS history with 100 goals and 100 assists."
DCist, Aaron Morrissey: "Moreno was far from the team's only contributor on the evening. Add Milos Kocik to the long list of rookies who have played a vital part in the opening salvo to D.C. United's 2009 season. The 23-year-old Serbian-born keeper -- who recorded 29 shutouts in his last two seasons at Loyola (MD), and had an undefeated record in 2008 -- made several key efforts in the last fifteen minutes to preserve the victory, his second over Dallas in two weeks."
Washington Examiner, Craig Stouffer: "Moreno... put in a vintage performance even before he settled Bryan Namoff’s long ball at the top of the box, beating Dallas goalkeeper Ray Burse with a left-footed shot to tie the score, 1-1, in the 56th minute. Ten minutes later Christian Gómez, who came on as a substitute immediately after D.C.’s first goal, put Moreno through once more. This time MLS’ all-time leading scorer executed a deft chip over the onrushing Burse for the game-winner and his 124th career goal."
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "United continued to pour on the pressure and almost scored the go-ahead goal in the 60th minute. Luciano Emilio was sent through all alone on Burse. The Brazilian pushed the ball to the right of Burse in an attempt to round the keeper but his touch was too strong. Emilio got to the ball before it rolled over the endline and managed to get a good shot at goal but it too was blocked off the goal line.
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "United's 2009 squad seems to grow in confidence and fluidity with every passing week and against Dallas the Black-and-Red controlled play from the opening whistle, carving out one scoring opportunity after another and eventually directing 11 shots on goal."
DCSportsBox, Abram Fox: "D.C. tried to get out to a quick start, attacking Dallas relentlessly in the first half. They notched 4 shots in the first 10 minutes of play, but connected on none. The trend continued for much of the half, with the ball remaining on Dallas’ side of the field much of the time. Despite the power of their attack, D.C. was unable to score on any of their 10 shots. In the 28th minute, a Dallas corner kick from Dave van den Bergh set up midfielder Andre Rocha to head the ball past D.C. keeper Milos Kocic, giving Dallas the 1-0 lead. They held the lead going into halftime."
MLSNet, Chris Snear: "'I'm not surprised; not surprised at all,' said McCarty about giving up the early second-half goals. 'It's pretty much the story of our season so far. I think we have gone into halftime tied or in the lead in most of our games and in the second half for whatever reason we come out flat. We don't bring the needed energy or desire to get the three points.'"
QuarterVolley, I-66: "I felt like I was watching blond #9 Jaime again..."
DCUMD, Shatz: "That wasn't quite as productive of a match as Chris Pontius is used to, but I just like the fact that we've got a guy who can fill in at central holding midfield when necessary, in addition to also playing on the wing, CAM, and withdrawn forward."
Fullback Files, Fullback: "Emilio, on the other hand, didn't exactly justify his DP dollars tonight. He had two golden opportunities, a one-on-one with Burse and a point-blank header. Neither of which were finished. And finishing is what we pay him the DP bucks for. Those are the goals we need to kill off games that the opposition has no right still being in as we come down the final stretch... The question becomes: if this is indeed the start of another frigid streak from Emilio, do we have the depth in attack this year to overcome it?"
3rd Degree, Jay Brownlee: "FC Dallas Head coach Schellas Hyndman would attempt to counter DC United’s 3-5-2 by playing David 'the Gnat' Ferreira deeper, effectively positioning Dallas into a 4-5-1, leaving Kenny Cooper alone up top. It didn’t work. Dallas was throttled in the midfield all match long as United kept possession and kept pouring on chances."
The FCD Blog, [FCD] Front Office: "[Hyndman] on goals coming early in the second half: 'I think the opposition is trying to play quicker balls through the center. They are trying to unbalance us with the diagonal balls. It doesn’t take a lot to figure out where are weaknesses are; I think right now we are not able to handle pressure real well.'"
BLCKDGRD, BDR: "Burch and Wallace are the side every team will attack until it's not the best option, every team will cross to the dot until United proves it can mark in the box, and good teams are going to score on United until the defense better communicates and coheres, but lordy, a 3-5-2 clicking on offense is a beautiful joy. Koton, Craycic, oy. I've read criticisms that United should have taken Stefan Frei instead of Rodney Wallace, and Wallace has so far justified his selection, but United has a keeper problem, yes?"

The Good

1. 9/99/123/124/100+/100: Use whatever numbers you want, we simply must begin the good with Jaime Moreno. I am glad so many people also noticed that Moreno was involved in this match from the whistle, and playing to his strength. A 3-5-2 is easily victimized if a team can't hold that pivot point in midfield, and Moreno was essential to that mission early. There would have been no talk about United's dominance in the first half if he didn't play that role.
2. 3: Any game where United's back line surrenders no goals in the run of play is a good one, and Burch, Jakovic, and Namoff played strong defense, complemented by some truly determined digging in by Ben Olsen (at one point winning a ball flat on his stomach) and Clyde Simms, who had a technically strong match. Namoff's assist on the long ball to Moreno was a nice addition, but it should not detract from the team defense.
   
3. Soehn v. Hyndeman: Let's not gloss over this fact - Tom Soehn outcoached Schellas Hyndeman in this match, regardless of any personnel issues. Dallas was maligned for playing a 4-5-1, but rightfully so, as United pretty much all service out of midfield to Kenny Cooper. Further, it is a difficult thing to go to the halftime talk after dominating a half but finding yourself behind. You know the opposing coach should try and change things around, but what do you tell your players to change? Instead, Soehn kept his powder dry and his subsitutions and sideline tactics were well played. He bunkered properly and at the right time, he used Gomez effectively, and the flow of attack was dictated by events on the field and not theory.
   
4. Rodney Wallace vs. Dave van den Bergh: Again, I was impressed by Rodney Wallace's defense on the wing, and he was even better when the shift to the 4-5-1 United employed at the end of the match occurred. I almost don't quite worry as much about Terry Cooke. Almost. Wallace and Burch still are, as BDR notes, the weak flank for this team, but there are signs of improvement, no?
5. Resiliency: Commenter Jeremy in the first impressions: "When was the last time that you felt confident that United would come back from a deficit?" To be honest, I still don't. Really, I thought we would lose this match at 1-0, or give up another counter goal. I find my own lack of faith... disturbing.
6. Beat the Bad Teams: Commenter RKE: "A caveat: Dallas really sucks." True. The thing is, I wasn't sure that United was much better than a mediocre team at the start of this season, and losing to a team that sucks seemed, well, something I should expect. I'm still getting used to the idea that United might, might, be good.
   

The Bad

1. Rodney Wallace on the Corner Kick: With Wallace's speed, either he has to beat Rocha to the spot where Rocha notched the first goal of the game, or at least be goal side. I wasn't thrilled by Kocic's positioning on that goal, but even if he was where I thought he should be, that ball still finds the net. That being said, does anyone think Fred defends that better?
   
2. Chris Pontius: DCUMD has a nice category of "The Rail" for games like this, where you want to talk about things that aren't quite right, but aren't truly bad. So this is a misnomer, it wasn't truly bad, but it wasn't strong. I am concerned about our willingness to throw a rookie into so many positions. I worry that he won't acquire the comfort with any position should he encounter difficulty, and that will make things difficult down the road.
3. Milos Kocic: Very nervy start. While I appreciate his ability to punch each ball, I think a friend of mine had the right observation. If you are upset because Kenny Cooper bumped you, then you weren't making him pay enough. Wreck some havoc when you get off your line. Kenny bumped you? He'll stop when you go through him and make him pay a price.
   

Officiating Watch

Center ref Ricardo Salazar seemed to be playing a "no foul or a card" type of match early on, a style of officiating I am not particularly enamored with. That being said, he blew the whistle more frequently when things started to boil over, and that seemed right to me. The ARs were on top of the match.

Likert Scale Grade: 3 - Average

Karma Bank

So a win means only a potential karma burn, and I don't see much in that respect. If anything, we would have been owed karma with a lesser result, so no change for the game, and we're still in debt at -1 for the season.

Man of the Match

Jaime Moreno. You don't need me to explain this.

Certificate of Merit to Marc Burch, Bryan Namoff, and Dejan Jakovic. Grunthos has this exactly right: "Let me give a shout-out to the defense, which played well as a unit for the first time in 18 months or more."

Honorary Certificate of Merit to Simeon Varlamov.

Final Thoughts

I'm not ready to start buying post-season game plans yet, but I am starting to believe this team could be a better team than I thought. The Eastern Conference, even without an expansion franchise, does appear to be the weaker conference, which is both good and bad. It means we may have to face easier competition more times, but it also would not surprise me if the East sent fewer teams to the playoffs.

All of this makes May a very interesting month. After the Kansas City and Toronto matches, United gets a strong RSL team at home and plays the current alpha dog away. Those will be very interesting matches to watch. I'm not even assuming strong results in the first two. But if United does manage, let's say, 4 points from Kansas City and Toronto, I'm not sure it will tell us much more about where we think this team is.

So with all this in mind, we're agreed that the U.S. Open Cup match against Red Bull should again be allocated to the reserves, right?

April 2009 D.C. United Debrief

March 2009: 0-0-2 (2pts, 1p/g, 3GF, 3GA, 0GD, 1.5 gf/g, 1.5ga/g)
April 2009: 2-1-1 (7pts, 1.75p/g, 6GF, 5GA, +1GD, 1.5 gf/g, 1.25ga/g)

We're going to chunk every month of the MLS Season, to see what, if any, insight we can derive from examining a series of games rather than focusing on an individual game. So let's begin...

What Have We Learned?

• United has more talent than I thought they did. I will admit that I expected almost nothing from our draft, so the positive contributions of 2009 draft picks Chris Pontius and Rodney Wallace combined with the work from N'Sulu (new signing), Jacobson (2008 draft pick), and Jakovic (new signing) have pleasently been a surprise. My feeling was a new three man back line would take significant time to work the kinks out. There have been kinks, but United has not been victimized for the 2 goals a game I though we would see. Add in the attacking contributions, and suddenly this team can at least give the illusion of depth.
  
• United made a smart move in releasing Francis Doe for Avery John. It may not be a move that sees any minutes on the field, but United needed something for a backline that seemed very, very thin when Janicki and McTavish collided. I'm not saying Avery John is an average level MLS Defender. But I'd rather have a fungible defender than a fungible striker.
• There is a difference between resilience and consistency. D.C. United is not yet a consistent team. There have been two matches where they put together more than 45 minutes of solid play (New England and New York). But those are the same two matches where they demonstrated resiliency, coming from behind to salvage points.

The Month Was Good To...

• Luciano Emilio (3G): It used to be we could tell how Emilio was playing by watching him execute a turn and shoot at the top of the box. Low rocket? Things look good. Weak dribbler? Hoo-boy. That may not be the case for two reasons. His goals are opportunistic, but smart goals. He pursues Boswell in Houston, he positions himself smartly in Salt Lake, and he makes a well timed run in New York. Those goals don't require an Emilio that's feeling the luck, but an Emilio that's smart and involved in the game. Add to that the best forward pressure I've ever seen him exert, and he had a tremendous season. Commenter Rob proposed that Emilio is the most improved player on the team, and I think he has a point. He's more involved, and may have found a way to be involved that doesn't rely on the streaky Emilio.
  
• Rodney Wallace (1G, 0A, 4GS, 343 mins): His first MLS goal helps keep him out of the "When will Rodney Score" type debates. He shows himself to be dangerous enough to attract criticism when he is moved out of a midfield role and into the back line, a role he has taken willingly. His midfield defense needs a little work, as it is more hack than position right now, but I will accept that. His backline defense needs a lot of work. But a rookie has proven himself this month that he has something to offer.
  
• Chris Pontius (1G, 2A, 4GS, 360 mins): In March, Chris looked good for the team as a forward. In April, he has demonstrated versatility far beyond any expectations. I still don't like him as a playmaker in the middle, but he has not been an embarassment there. After some atrocius shooting in New England, he recovered with his 1 goal, 1 assist game in New York that fully redeemed those missed shots.
  
• Dejan Jakovic and Bryan Namoff (combined: 0 cautions in April): Dejan is learning the ropes, more and more each day, and at least has made a three back setup seem plausible. What's more amazing is both players took cautions in March, neither has one in April. Consider that Rodney Wallace, Ben Olsen, and Marc Burch both have 2 cautions at this point. This isn't an imtimidating defense, but the ability for both players to learn to cover one another has meant few opportunities for them to find themselves in positions where they have to make a cynical foul.
  

The Month Was Unkind To...

• Jaime Moreno (0G, 1A, 2GP, 96 mins, 1E): Moreno played only 27% of the available minutes in April. The worrisome thing is that both Santino Quaranta, Chris Pontius, and Ange N'Sulu have shown the ability to push for Moreno's spot accompanying Emilio. I do want to credit his effort against New England after he could not sub out, but in a dream world you'd want more production from Moreno.
• Louis Crayton (2-1-1, 5GA, 78.3% save percentage): I should note that MLSNet believes Crayton has a 72% save percentage in the same period, but it doesn't seem to equal the game by game totals which I am using. Anyways, the save percentage would seem to be fairly decent for an MLS keeper, and it is. The concern right now isn't the save percentage as Crayton has only allowed perhaps one bad goal. The concern is the control of the box, where Louis has shown an inability to get to a few crosses in more than one match.
• Fred (0G, 1A, 193mins): The emergence of Wallace and Pontius and Fred's rehab have meant he did not play a full 90 minute game for United yet. What's more shocking to me is that United has shown a preference to place Pontius in the center attacking role instead of Fred. I am not a Fred hater, and I do want him to get into a consistent role with the team, but it is not happening for him so far.
• Clyde Simms: Still thinking about that "fouls=good defense" line we occasionally see floated, it is interesting that Rodney Wallace has exactly twice as many fouls and cautions and Clyde. Add to that a game where he gets called out by his coach, and it has not been his best month in black. I think he can recover, and I'm hoping that part of what we've seen was him being affected by his illness and the New York turf. The Red Bull game was especially difficult, as Olsen comes out, Jacobsen and Simms are both on yellows, so they are essentially forced to drop off in the midfield more than I'd like. I will predict that Clyde is back in form soon.

Emerging Questions...

• With Janicki recovering, MacTavish available, and Avery John signed, is the three man line of Namoff-Janikov-Burch a constant? I would think that this is not a first team set-up yet.
• At some point, Rodney Wallace and/or Chris Pontius are going to have games that show they are still rookies. I'm not talking about missing a few sitters over the bar, I mean games where they are mostly invisible, and then noticed and cause despair. How will Tom Soehn react?
• How many minutes does Jaime Moreno see in May? Fred?
  

May Briefing...

May has the most matches in a month yet, with the fixture congestion front loaded.

Scheduled:
5/2 FC Dallas
5/6 At Kansas City Wizards
5/9 Toronto FC
5/16 At Chivas USA
5/23 Real Salt Lake
5/30 At New England

Key Match:
May 23's Real Salt Lake is the game that I think deserves a significant attention. Given a tough road match the week before against Chivas, and a return trip to a probably more healthy New England side a week later, this is a team DC has been known to struggle against no matter what the location is. The worry here is that United could end up with 0 points in the last three games of May, and that would certainly be worrisome.

Expectations Guide (30 possible points):

Expecting United to improve on the April 1.75 p/g rate strikes me as ambitious, so let's say that anything of 12 points or more is a success. I reasonably think 10-11 points is decent, 9 points would not be a disaster, but the fear would that end of the schedule providing nothing for us, and United managing perhaps only 5 points from this month.

Quote from the Art of War...

Selected at Random:
(2-14) "while government expenses for broken chariots, worn-out horses, breast-plates and helmets, bows and arrows, spears and shields, protective mantles, draught-oxen and heavy wagons, will amount to four-tenths of its total revenue."

Draught-oxen?

Debriefing for Match 14.04: At Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake 2 : 1 D.C. United

Six Word Novel Recap

United plays to not win. Doesn't.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, The Goffather: "United showed promising signs again Saturday, going ahead for the fourth straight game, but by halftime the lead was gone, and when Javier Morales scored in the 80th minute, D.C. was headed for a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake before an announced crowd of 11,793 at rainy Rio Tinto Stadium. "
Desert News, James Edwards: "RSL was forced to fight for 90 minutes against a quality opponent in sloppy conditions, but somehow the players found a way to get the job done even when a draw or even a loss seemed inevitable"
Examiner.Com [DC], Ed Morgans: "United got a goal in the 38th minute from Luciano Emilio - his third of the season - when he headed home a well-placed cross by Chris Pontius from the right side. The goal was one of just two shots on target for United all night long."
Examiner.Com [Utah], Brian Shaw: "Real Salt Lake would answer quickly, however, doing the only thing that seemed to be working offensively for them in the first half, and that’s swinging the ball wide to onrushing midfielders. Will Johnson raced down the left flank, crossing a perfect ball into the middle of the six-yard box, where Jamison Olave awaited, redirecting the cross past the wobbly hands of D.C. goalkeeper Louis Crayton to tie the match at 1-1 going into halftime."
Goal.Com, Randy Davis: "In the 62nd-minute defensive substitute Raphael Cox whipped in a cross from the left wing that Findley was able to get his head on, but the ball popped straight up in the air. Findley was able to head the ball again as it came down, but the ball went well wide of the goal. Findley had another great chance off of a pass over the top by Nat Borchers a minute later, but couldn’t get a shot off with any power as the defender caught up to him and nudged him off the ball. Real Salt Lake was the aggressor from that point on as DC United appeared content to play for the draw."
MLSNet, John Coon: "RSL finally found its game-winner in the 80th minute when Kyle Beckerman tried to find Robbie Findley on a long pass to the top of the box. The ball deflected off Findley somewhat, but Javier Morales -- who trailed him -- managed to track it down. He sliced a shot right past Crayton to give Real their first lead -- an advantage the team never relinquished."
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "United didn’t mount much of an attack after that energy draining goal and their game long tactic of playing for the draw fizzled out and resulted in United’s fourth loss in a row in the state of Utah (three of which ended in 2-1 losses)."
MLSNet, Jeremy Horton: "Early in the second half, D.C. enjoyed a fair amount of possession, but had trouble turning that possession into scoring chances... Added Soehn: 'I don't think we created enough in the final third.'"
Fullback Files, Fullback: "Gomez looked more active than in the previous matches, at least in the parts of the match I saw. That's encouraging. Where he fell flat on his face for me was in dead ball situations. I'm well and truly aware of the DC United Corner Kick Curse, but come on! At least get the ball high enough to clear the first defender, won't you? By contrast, RSL always looked like they were a danger from corners and free kicks."
RSLBoz, Truhlk: "With the rainy conditions and the ref not making much of an effort to keep up with the run of play, the second half turned into a very ugly game of soccer."

The Good

1. Luciano Emilio, Starting with a Streak: At four matches into the season, Emilio is currently sitting second in the league with three goals. The thing about Emilio is that you can tell when he's feeling good, and you can tell early when he's feeling bad. Right now he looks very good, and a combination of Pontius and Emilio on United's best worked goal as a team this season was a very nice move.
2. Christian Gomez Will Pass to X, Where X is a young D.C. United player: Remember the "Jaime won't pass to Freddy", "Christian won't pass to Freddy" discussions of yesteryear? There was always some truth to those arguments, though not as much as the makers of those arguments pretended. What I like this season is that I don't have any sense of that at all, this team is willing to play everyone in at the appropriate time. Which is good, since the last thing we need is to tie one or two hands behind our backs. Bootsy in the first impressions wondered aloud at "Why the merit for Gomez?" This is why -- if his job is to run the offense, this is the first match where he really seemed involved at using all of the tools at his disposal.
   
3. Marc Burch: After criticizing him early in this season, a more stay-at-home Burch did well against RSL. Both goals had attacks down United's right flank, and while Burch perhaps should have helped cover on the first goal, his blame is tertiarary as opposed to primary. For the most part, this was his best game as a defender (as opposed to a set piece taker) that he's had. Part of that was the quality of opposition, but overall I was pleased.
4. Jakovic = Erpen: My poor spelling from the First Impressions decide, remember that one thing Erpen did very well was recover. I frequently remember him making a ridiculously poor pass to an opposing defender, but then recovering with a difficult tackle to atone for his mistake. Jakovic has that same ability to recover.
   

The Bad

1. Christian Gomez, Dead Ball Specialist: Several places will note that Christian Gomez's corner kicks were fairly atrocius. They were. I count three that didn't clear the first defender, your count may vary. Also, how does Gomez pick up a yellow for dissent? Shouldn't that be the Captain's job?
   
2. Louis Crayton: Ah, we were all worried about him wandering about on the field like an absent-minded greek philosopher in a bath towel, and now he gives up a goal by pushing a ball into the side netting (that'd be the wrong side netting from our perpective).
3. Playing for the Draw: Here's what I want you to think about, and it's important that you do. Playing for the Draw is a Conventional Wisdom tactic, one that United fans that lived through the Rongren and Hudson years can well remember. If Tom Soehn decides to not play for the draw, but to go for the win, then he is likely to give up more goals, and consequently may lose several games where we can say "Why didn't Tom Soehn play it safe?" So if we're going to criticize the play for the draw, or play safe with the one goal lead strategy, we must be willing to accept the consequences of letting some games, and some points, get away from United. Now, there's a potential compromise -- Play safe with the lead, but don't be happy with the draw. I can get behind that. Just so long as we're consistent, right?
4. Jakovic = Erpen:Where Erpen would simply distribute poorly, Jakovic tends to have difficulty on anything in the air, a huge liability for the single central back of a 3-5-2. Now, he's young, which helps, so perhaps Jakovic's huge problem can be tought out of him. This is a positioning problem, not a brain-fart problem. I tend to think training can help more with the former, and a psychologist more with the latter.
5. Rodney Wallace: While I've been mostly positive, his poor touch on Emilio's back heel made me cry. What I think excites people, including me, about Rodney are his attacking instincts, his willingness to make some smart runs off the ball. What's frustrating is the execution of the same when the ball comes.
   
6. Francis Doe, Santino Quaranta, Come from Behind Subs: One thing that we still haven't seen this year is what happens to United if they give up the first goal. Now, ten minutes is not a particularly long time to see how a team will respond to being down a goal, but can you say you were comforted in any way? Doe for Gomez (and moving Pontius back into the middle) did not seem to be particulary effective. Tino seemed marginally better, but if I rate players, I doubt I would have rated either. There just was nothing going on.
7. Clyde Simms, On-Field Leader and Captain: There is a place for a cerebral leader, typically on a young team that's impulsive and undisciplined. However, on a team with Moreno up top, earnest rookies like Pontius and Wallace who seem to be focusing on keeping their heads down, and Bryan Namoff in the back, Ben Olsen's fire seems like the appropriate leader, one who'll yap and step up and play the role of a larger ego on the field. Clyde, and I love Clyde, is just too quiet. He needed to be the one yapping at Kevin Stott, not Christian Gomez. He needed to be the one to bring the fire with Ben Olsen out. Clyde's a capable player, and I can see him credibly as a leader, just not sure he's right to be the leader on this team at any given point.
   

Officiating Watch

I was all set to give Kevin Stott a positive rating, but the more I think about it, the more I think he may have been a tad trigger happy on the early yellow to Javier Morales. The Wingert and Borcher yellows both seemed legitimate as cynical fouls. For the most part, I feel pleased with the officiating this season. Really. That's kind of stunning.

Likert Scale Grade: 3 - Average

Karma Bank

Was United unlucky to lose the point at any time? Not particularly. In fact, United may have been fortunate that Salt Lake didn't notch a second or third goal earlier. As a result, had United earned a draw or win, there would have been a karma transaction, but with the loss the account was settled in the game. No change, +1 for the season.

Man of the Match

N/A

Final Thoughts

It is interesting to think that a DC fan with Fox Soccer Net will now have seen twice as many Washington Freedom games on TV than United games. I have no commentary on whether this is fitting or not, it's just a side note. I'm sure others have noted this already. CSN is, I am sure, keeping their schedule open for the Caps post-season run, and more power to them.

I still feel the same about this match as I did when it occured -- Ah, there you are 2-1 loss. You're overdue.

The interesting thing about New England this Friday is that New England seems to be the kind of team that United wants to be. Get a goal early, lock it down. They probably will do that better than anyone else in the league this year. When looked at it from this perspective, the idea of giving up an early goal is chilling.

So, as a fan, here's what I say. If United starts cautious, then so be it. But if they get an early goal themselves, or the match stays level, it is time to throw caution to the wind, right? I mean, really, do we want to be the Revolution?

And doesn't this make the Revolution the most poorly named team in the league? If anything, they conservativeness is shocking, it would be like the people rose up and asked, no demanded, that khakis and polo shirts be our national uniform and that we all allocate 6% of our pre-tax earnings to our IRAs. A revolution of young Republicans. Steve Nicol, as played by David Spade.

Debriefing for Match 14.03: Houston Dynamo

D.C. United 1 : 0 Houston Dynamo

Six Word Novel Recap

The answer, Mr. Webb, is "Undefeated."

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "Luciano Emilio scored less than two minutes into the second half and, despite playing short-handed for the final 19 minutes because of Jaime Moreno's red card, United upended the Houston Dynamo, 1-0, in an MLS game before just 12,594 at RFK Stadium...In the 47th minute, Namoff dropped a long ball over the Houston defense. Emilio maneuvered around crossed-up defender Bobby Boswell, the former United standout, and cleverly chipped the ball over on-rushing goalkeeper Pat Onstad...'I just tried to play into that space and luckily Bobby missed it, which created a one-on-one for Emilio,' said Namoff, who preserved the lead five minutes later with a goal-line clearance of Ricardo Clark's stab off a corner kick. "
MLSNet, Chris Snear: "Namoff returned to his area of expertise five minutes later, clearing a well-struck Ricardo Clark half-volley from 11 yards off the goal line, after it somehow had got through a maze of players during a mad scramble in the United penalty area."
The Washington Times, John Haydon: "United goalie Louis Crayton played in his first competitive game since late October and made four saves, including three in the last 10 minutes...Forward Ange N'Silu made his league debut in United's starting lineup. The Frenchman showed confidence on the ball and got behind the Houston defense a number of times in the first half. He was replaced by Moreno in the 65th minute. Moreno's night ended six minutes later when referee Baldomero Toledo issued him a straight red card for a tackle from behind on Brad Davis. "
DCist, Aaron Morrisey: "For the first forty-five minutes at RFK Stadium last night, it felt like there was something missing. Maybe it was the team's shooting boots, maybe it was the initiative. Possibly that little extra oomph which the team usually comes out of the tunnel with. It might have been the intricate touch and innovation in front of goal."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "Seventeen minutes in, D.C. right winger Chris Pontius cut inside and almost set up his roommate and fellow rookie Rodney Wallace with a deep, teasing cross to the far post, but Wallace's angle was too tight and his touch floated harmlessly above the goalmouth. Such scoring opportunities were all too few and far between in the early going, however, as both teams struggled to settle the ball and build sustained possession."
Goal.Com, Steven Streff: "After a first half failed to produce many chances for either side, the teams displayed more energy in the second. "
Examiner.Com, Ed Morgan: "Moreno’s red card: The play started in the midfield, with Moreno being dispossessed. Moreno, having been on the field just six minutes after Ange N’Silu started in favor of him, then raced back to defend (which is good), but when Houston midfielder Brad Davis cut to the left to try and set up the attack, Moreno caught him with a tackle that looked to be mostly from behind. Live, it appeared to be a yellow card infraction, and that Toledo was harsh with the red. Certainly, it’s rare that a player comes into the game as a sub and his first tackles results in an ejection. In watching the replay at MLSNet several times, Moreno makes contact with his left shin on Davis’ right foot. Moreno’s right foot may have also made contact with Davis as the Houston midfielder was falling to the turf, but it’s difficult to tell. While Moreno can argue he was attempting to play the ball; but the way Davis had it controlled, Moreno was never going to win it or even so much as get a touch on it. What’s worse is, the tackle came barely 12 yards inside the United half. A common foul is fine there, it’s too far out for the free kick to present much danger. But a sliding, lunging go at an attacker from behind with no chance to win the ball is going to be seen harshly by many an MLS referee. Put it this way. If Davis had fouled Moreno like that, I would have wanted Davis sent off." [Note: Sorry to steal so much of this Ed, but your analysis of this is about as good as it gets (and happens to agree with mine.) One other thing I would add is that seconds before, Ben Olsen had slid in on a tackle which was neatly avoided, and Moreno may have felt that with Ben out of the play, he had to do something. Which doesn't make what he did any smarter, but still...]
DC Sports Box, Abram Fox: "Houston came within inches of tying the game in the 82nd minute when Davis unloaded a booming shot from straight on, about 20 feet above the penalty area. The line drive kick nailed the crossbar and went up into the air and back down in the goal box, where Crayton punched it away and was fouled in the process, ending the Dynamo threat. Three minutes later, Houston had another excellent opportunity when midfielder Stuart Holden got a centering pass at the top of the penalty area and fired a low shot just a couple feet wide to the left of the net, and two minutes after that midfielder Ricardo Clark got a clean shot off from just above D.C.'s penalty area but sent it about five feet wide right.
Fullback Files, Fullback: "Another MIA week for Gomez. Marked out of games or past it?"
BLCKDGRD, BDR: "Gomez, who knows? He isn't getting the ball, whether denied by marking or service I'm not sure. He calls for the ball, waves his arms, flaps them when he doesn't get the ball, and the few times he gets the ball his touches are good. His free kicks are still terrific."
The Offisde: Houston Dynamo, Jeremy: "The Dynamo may have been better served by starting Corey Ashe and giving Brian Ching extra time to rest after national team duty. But hindsight is 20/20. Maybe Dominic Kinnear, had he not been suspended, would have pulled the plug on Ching a little earlier in the match."

The Good

1. A Clean Sheet: I seem to recall waiting a long time for one of these last year, so it was nice to see one, especially given recent history.
2. Everyone has a moment: Certainly, some performances were better than others, but everyone other that Jaime Moreno had a moment on the field that made me think "Yes, this person can belong out here." N'Sulu, Wallace, Pontius all had moments of goodness, although none of them sustained it. Gomez had some nice touches and flicks early in the match before fading. Namoff had some good tackles plus an unwitting assist, Jakovic nearly misplayed the same ball Bobby Boswell did (although he misplayed it in a completley different way) but settled down nicely. Burch had one nice ball in (more on this later).
   
3. Louis Crayton, the Anti-Weeble Wobble (all he does is fall down!): He kept us in the game with the key save at the death. Oh, and while people may complain about Josh Wicks, plan on seeing him again at some point. Louis will miss a game for accumulated yellows at some point, all for delay of restart. Man, dude looked like a dying flounder the way he would flop to the ground with a ball.
4. Luciano Emilio: The revelation, for me, was watching Emilio run for 80 minutes in this match and do everything, on both sides of the ball, that you can ask for. The final 10 minutes he was sucking wind, completley beat, but he had earned that fatigue with excellent effort.
   

The Bad

1. Marc Burch: His body of work from the back line was the weakest of all three. I know some criticize Namoff's distribution (See last week) but Marc's first crosses were miserable, and his free kick never made it over the first defender. I will forgive all of this for good defense (see last week) but of all three starting defenders, Burch's body of work was the weakest, though perhaps it didn't have the near highlight gaff Jakovic had.
   
2. Jaime Moreno: Dumb tackle, we'll address in the officiating watch.
3. Christian Gomez: BDR wrote above about the lack of service Gomez was getting. This is true, but I don't recall Christian showing for the ball after about the first 15 minutes. That I think was the difference. Early in the game, he was checking back around the midfield stripe. Later, he was looking to put himself in space. Part of this denial may have been Houston, but not all of it.
   
4. Pontius in the Middle: After Fred's introduction, where the entire stadium thought it was a straight up swap for Gomez, I was stunned to see Pontius slide into the middle, and then function as a combination attacking-mid/withdrawn forward. It was awkward looking. Maybe they're still feeling out what they have, but I want the kid to have a chance to settle into a role.
   
5. The Bunkering Prior to the Red Card: Hard to argue with the decision later, including keeping Fred as almost our fourth defender on the back line, but man, we were looking like a team trying to lock it down before that. Maybe my mind is tricking me, but that's what I recall.
6. Clyde Simms: After he took the Captain's armband from Ben Olsen, I don't think he made another tackle. While it is not in his temprament, is it wrong to wish for more bite from Clyde? If he had that, I think he'd be everything I want in his role.
   
7. Houston Attacking Tactics: Yes, Holden is no DeResario, but I don't understand Houston's final 15 minutes. The idea, from what I can tell, was to attack Fred and United's right. But given Holdern's natural tendancy to drift to his right, why not attack United's left more? Burch is still out of position, Wallace is a rookie who is improving, but far from intimidating, and you've had some success down that flank.
   

Officiating Watch

Baldomero Toledo called a fair game, and I love Ed's breakdown of Jaime's red card above. At the time, and in the first impressions, I thought it was a harsh red, but not entirely undeserving. After a rewatch, I can say that it was a tough red, but not harsh. He had the rest of the match under control. The ARs seemed to have missed an off-side or two, and Toledo missed one hand ball and called another phantom, but overall I was pleased.

Likert Scale Grade: 4 - Good

Karma Bank

No change in the karma. The red is legit, the saves were real, the lucky breaks were evenly distributed.

Man of the Match

Luciano Emilio. Certific of Merit to Mr. N'Sulu, Rodney Wallace, and Ben Olsen. Mild note of chastisement to Mr. Pontius for not putting more of his shots on frame, but I am glad he took the shots.

Final Thoughts

A win is a win. Straight up, if you offer me 15 more of these types of games, complete with the dreary first half, bunkering, and all of that, but United gets the same result, I take it. Hands down. We have a win, a clean sheet, and more points then I thought we'd have at this time. Good stuff.

Debriefing for Match 14.02: Chicago Fire

D.C. United 1 : 1 Chicago Fire

Six Word Novel Recap

Is "Nyarko!" a Three Stooges exclamation?

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Times, John Haydon: "After taking an early lead and playing a strong first half, D.C. United fell victim to some lax goalkeeping and was forced to settle for a 1-1 tie against the Chicago Fire in its home opener Saturday night."
The Washington Post, Steven Goff: "Although this draw lacked the drama and controversy that overshadowed last Sunday's opener at Los Angeles, it was equally disappointing for United, which took the lead in the seventh minute on Luciano Emilio's strike but faltered defensively in the second half and yielded a 53rd-minute equalizer by former Virginia Tech star Patrick Nyarko. "
DC Sports Box, Abram Fox: "For the first 45 minutes the Black-and-Red dominated the pitch, controlling the flow of the game and winning a majority of loose balls. D.C. outshot Chicago 5-1, with Emilio’s marker the only ball to find the back of the net."
DCist, Aaron Morrisey: "The Black-and-Red's first major move of the game was a sign of that pressure: a nice through ball from Namoff found it's way to the now longer-coifed Luciano Emilio, but his cross through the box to Moreno was neutralized. A few short minutes later, Emilio applied a clinical finish at the center of the Chicago end after a great effort to wrestle possession by Ben Olsen. Calmly shooting from 20 yards away, Emilio struck firmly and beat keeper Jon Busch to his right..."
United Mania, Chris Webb: "The tide indeed did change as the Fire came out guns ablazing to start the second half. A number of defensive mistakes nearly cost United the game-tying goal but it only took eight minutes after the restart for the match to be level. Patrick Nyarko collected a fine pass from Marco Pappa and drove past defender Dejan Jakovic towards goal, but at a severe angle. United keeper Josh Wicks, filling in for injured starter Louis Crayton, mistakenly tried to come out and smother the play and the second-year striker from Virginia Tech easily passed the ball into the empty net. 'The goal that they scored, you know, he should’ve stayed in his goal,' acknowledged Soehn of his netminder."
Examiner.Com, Ed Morgan: "United's best chance to regain the lead came early in the second half, when Pontius was played in behind the Chicago defense for a 7-yard effort. But after nicely chesting the long ball down, his shot went right to Busch, who saved well. Earlier in the game, Pontius had missed high with a straight-on one-time shot in the penalty area. Pontius had an up and down game. Playing a wing in a 3-5-2, he had to get deep on the flank at times to play crosses in, but he seemed to struggle a bit in this role."
MLSNet, Chris Snear: "The Fire adjusted nicely to United's five men in the midfield, effectively marking the dangerous threesome of Christian Gomez, Jaime Moreno and Luciano Emilio out of the game in the second half."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "'It was a tale of two halves' surely ranks as one of the stalest clichés in the game of soccer...Much like the 2-0 lead against the Los Angeles Galaxy that evaporated into a 2-2 final last weekend, Saturday night's result offers Soehn plenty of teachable moments for his younger players. Dejan Jakovic endured several erratic moments in his first start at center back, but for long stretches he and his fellow newcomers supplied vigor and athleticism that complemented the savvy of veterans like Gomez and Olsen." [NOTE: I applaud any writer that recognizes a cliche is being used before then going on to use it. This is not laziness, it is self-awareness. There's a difference. Charles Boehm, I salute you.]
Goal.Com, Steven Streff: "Despite having dropped 2 points in each of its first two games, United's hopes for the season have not been lost yet. As United midfielder Clyde Simms put it, 'we are undefeated, so you can look at it that way.' So while the team may be struggling to win the games in which it is taking the lead, Simms noted that the performance was better this week."
The Fullback Files, Fullback: "Some questions for Tommy. What did you say at halftime? United were on top of the game going into the half. Chicago had only had a couple of looks while DC were controlling possession. But from the whistle to start the second half, we simply failed to answer the bell."
The Offside: DC United, Jon: "Bryan Namoff. What were you doing? I counted at least 4 or 5 times where Namoff carried the , ball way up into the attack and was caught in possession. I apologize to Bryan if Tommy was asking him to do that, but if not…c’mon."
DCUMD, Shatz: "The returns of Fred, Quaranta, Janicki, and McTavish will be a huge help, and Soehn is going to have some real tough decisions to make when he's got all of our regulars available. How do you bench Pontius after the opening he's had? I'm also thinking that we may see Jakovic fall behind Janicki, McTavish, and Burch on the defensive depth chart in no time."
QuarterVolley, I-66: "I actually felt that Olsen should have been subbed, not out of fatigue, but because he was on a yellow card and seemed like he was toeing the line between staying in the match and leaving on a 2nd yellow, especially after his exchange with Cuauhtemoc Blanco where Blanco positioned himself to allow Olsen to collide with him and went down like a ton of bricks. Center referee Mark Geiger, who seemed all night hesitant to call anything on a player in red (see: DC United fouls - 13, Chicago fouls - 6, plus 3 yellow cards for United and 0 for Chicago), motioned for Blanco to get up, and later talked to both players, presumably as a warning. Should Andrew Jacobson not have been inserted for Olsen at that point?"
And still blocked, but I will find a way, and slightly modified from the quite readable original...
BLCKDGRD, BDR: "Dig this Soehn quote: 'We gambled a little bit and were too confident in the second half. We took some chances instead of playing it safe. That shows signs of a young backline.' Sounds like a coach hanging his players, yes? Fire Tom Soehn...in an email 'Die. Die, die, die, die, die. This line confirms that, in Soehn’s fat [rutting] head, breaking out to try to score is, in fact, gambling. His implicit approval of the utter lack of “gambling”, of the game of playing it “safe” by backpassing every time they crossed midfield in strength, is [Initially, Knights of Christrianity Unified in Faithing reversed] reprehensible.' He’s a [slang word for kitten]. I’m [intercoursing] done with him."

The Good

1. Peter Tomarken Has Good Advice: "Press Your Luck." United's first half was as truly excellent as the media reports look above. Now, we must caveat that the Fire was well and truly into their depth chart, but just because a third to a half of a team is subs is no reason to think that United will automatically have an advantage. Indeed, I seem to recall United having many games where they were owned by bit players who rarely see the field. But this United side made a lot of opportunities, especailly in the first half. And these opportunities were spread out. Gomez, Emilio, Pontius, Olsen and Doe all had decent looks at some point. We need goals, and the early indications are we should see them.
   
2. Jilted McBride: While there's legitimate Angst about the back three vs. Nyarko, Brian McBride was marked out of the game. Which, if nothing else, provides some hope given that United has often been troubled by people who have a tendency to show up, relax with a lime cooler for 85 minutes and then head one or two into the goal.
3. Wallace, Pontius: Look, I'm not ga-ga over the kids yet, but having seen them twice, do you feel bad if you see their names on the line-up next week? Not me.
4. Wicks as a backup: Look, with Crayton out, I am willing to take Josh Wicks as a substitute. The argument that he is responsible for the goal is well made, and upon review I agree with it, but I also blame the D for letting Nyarko get behind them a few times. And yes, his muff in the dying minutes was bad and very fortunately put over the bar. But as a backup, he'll do.
   

The Bad

1. Speed Kills: Mr. Nyarko is fast. Our fullbacks, all of them, are not. You can probably have changed the name of the given opposing forward for most of the last three years, and this comment is true. Mad libs, the soccer writing of the future. To be written with Dippin' Dots.
   
2. Dis/join/ted: Anon from the First Impressions: "Our players seemed unfamiliar with each other. Clyde is learning to play with another defensive Mid and a rusty one with a heavy touch at that. Both are learning to play with a center back who got off the plane two weeks ago and has not seen a lot of minutes on the field in a long time. The fullbacks are working with rookies on the flanks." True, but as long as it continues, it must be noted.
3. There is a difference between gambling and attacking: I want to point out the comments from BDR and Landru above, and agree with the underlying sentiment. This team will give up goals, no matter if they bunker and play conservatively as a Savile Row three-piece (Mr. Namoff, you get to be the coat and watch chain. Mr. Burch, you get to be the best. Mr. Janicki, you're the pants. At least for this match). This team must attack, must gamble if you want to use the term, and must score goals, because we're going to give them up. If he's referring to gambling in terms of odd tackles at midfield, then he has a point, but a point more applicable to the first half than the second.
4. Wicks as a starter: I would like to see Louis Crayton again. You'd think the media would be asking questions about this. What's that? Ah, right. Forgot.
5. Free Christian Gomez (By Using the Wings): Right now, I'm attributing this more to Chicago's approach to taking him out of the match than anything else. And yes, Chris Pontius should have seen the ball more, but so should Rodney Wallace, and the fact is that while Gomez seemed clearly willing to pass the ball to Chris (who was making the right runs and showing well) Rodney isn't quite as there yet. Rod, time to join the posse.
   

Officiating Watch

Referee Mark Geiger is getting some flack for the fould distribution. You could reasoable say it should have been 15 fould on United after a double advantage in the 29th minute. Yet here's the thing: He was right. Sure, he missed a fould here or there, or called a few things a bit sensitively, but all-in-all he was consistent and strong and I actually enjoyed all aspects of his officiating. He didn't fall for Blanco's dives, but did note when Blanco was legitimately fouled. One of the best officiating performances I have seen. If you want to complain about the foul disparity, then perhaps the reason might be that we have a coach who seems to think we can redeem 10 fouls for a goal. And here's my bet. Any match where United fouls less than their opponents, expect to hear a few words questioning the effort of the players.

Likert Scale Grade: 5 - Excellent

Karma Bank

A nice even balance transaction, as both teams traded good opportunities for balls over the bar, so we're keeping it as +1 for the season (we're still owed a lucky break at some point.)

Man of the Match

Just to piss off Jon from The Offside, I'm going Bryan Namoff. Yes, the point that he was caught in posession too often is well made, but he handled his defensive responsibilities pretty well, and how many times will I have to award MOTM to a defender this season. Mr. Namoff, step on up.

Final Thoughts

Grunthos has an excellent breakdown of the match in the First Impressions, especially looking at what Mr. Hameltt did right in terms of tactics.

Our confused play in the early second half was directly attributable to the Fire suddenly getting in people's faces and hounding the ball. We had many more turnovers in our own end, and they tested our defense pretty hard. We caught a break, oddly, when they brought on Mr. White, who clearly isn't match fit and basically killed the energy of their press and the speed of their attack.

True true true.

In terms of my final thoughts, I am still reasonably pleased by how we've come through things right now. Despite the propensity of team focused blogs to always pick their team as a winner by one goal in close matches, if I had offered predictions it would have been LA by two over DC, and Chicago by one. Houston looks to be struggling now as well, and I would love to see United finally notch all three points, but at least I feel reasonably confident in predicting a non-scoreless draw. Since I resumed my duties here, I have written that United as a team will need a third of the season to figure itself out. If nothing else, it feels that process is continuing. If, by the end of the year, we're out of the playoffs, then yes, sign my name on the FIRE SOEHN list and let's move on. And that's still a reasonable possibility. But I also am willing to accept that things might truly get better.

And not just in St. Louis.

Debriefing for Match 14.01: At L.A. Galaxy

Los Angeles Galaxy 2 : 2 D.C. United

Six Word Novel Recap

Two heads not better than one.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, Steven Goff: "D.C. United's season opener against the Los Angeles Galaxy was progressing nicely Sunday at Home Depot Center....But in a bloody and chaotic sequence late in the match, United's afternoon took a terrible turn and, two Landon Donovan goals later, theclub had to settle for a 2-2 tie..."
The Washington Times, Joseph D'Hippolito:"Though Los Angeles dominated possession early, United used an unusual play to force a successful penalty kick...Gomez took the penalty kick one minute later and drilled it inside the left post for his first goal...In the 62nd minute, Wallace and Pontius combined to give United a 2-0 lead. Pontius took Wallace's pass, dribbled to open space and curved an 18-yard shot into the upper-right corner of the net for his first professional goal."
L.A. Daily News (et al), Phil Collin:"The first Galaxy goal had United seeing (more) red. The hand must have been quicker than they eye because referee Jair Marrufo ruled that a pass from Chris Klein toward the goal was knocked out of the air by defender Rodney Wallace's hand instead of his thigh. "
L.A. Times, Grahame L. Jones: "When Donovan headed home a deep cross from Kyle Patterson in the 85th minute, it tied the game and earned the Galaxy a point."
Examiner.Com, Ed Morgans: "Going into the match, if you are a United fan and you were told you’d be guaranteed a point at Los Angeles to open the season, you might well have taken it - especially given United’s horrific away form in the league last season (2-11-2, 8 points of a possible 30)."
MLSNet, Simon Jude Samano: "The fact that United went on the road and played the LA Galaxy to a 2-2 tie on Sunday at The Home Depot Center -- despite holding a two-goal lead with 10 minutes to play -- didn't sit well with either the coach or his players."
Goal.Com, Zac Lee Rig: "[Soehn] cited a clash of heads between two of his players as a major turning point. Devon McTavish and Greg Janicki collided craniums as they both went for the same ball. As they lay sprawled and bleeding on the ground, Galaxy continued their attack. According to new FIFA law, only referees are supposed to stop play for injuries, and are to use their discretion about the severity of injury. 'They both have big cuts, deep gashes,' explained Soehn. 'That's why I was so disappointed in the reffing. They've talked about not kicking the ball out of bounds, and it's referee's discretion as to when to stop the game. You could hear that clash. You've got to use common sense and stop the game when there's two guys laying down with bleeding heads.'"
Goal.Com, Andrea Canales: "Noting that both teams were missing key players due to injuries, Arena concluded, 'Maybe at the end of the day, the result is fair.'"
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "DC United played this match with four of their regular starters out of the lineup. Louis Crayton, Santino Quaranta and Fred didn’t even make the trip to California while Jaime Moreno did not get into the match basically because of the late game injuries to McTavish (who eventually subbed out) and Janicki."
The Touchline, Mr. Luis Bueno: "As Goff and others were talking to Chris Pontius, Soehn and Goff had some more words, though it was more Soehn unloading on Goff. Soehn told him to talk about the positives and then dropped this on him: 'Focus on the fucking game,' Soehn said before he stormed off into the coach's office." [NOTE: I'm going to take this with a grain of salt, but it is out there to be read.]
The Fullback Files, Fullback: "Let's face it, Wallace was pretty miserable, and Pontius well-nigh invisible in the first half. But from the opening whistle of the second, both started playing with aggression and confidence and increasingly became influential in the match."
DCUMD, Shatz: "All things considered, a point on the road while missing 3 or 4 of our regular starters is nothing to cry about. But in a season where we are bound to be in the middle of the pack among Eastern Conference teams and fighting for a playoff spot, those extra two points sure would have come in handy. I guess United should have thought about that before drafting a guy with a hand growing out of his thigh."
The Offside: LA Galaxy, NathanHJ: "One last note on the game. Despite have the run of play for the majority of the game, the Galaxy rarely put shots on goal."

and finally...

BLKDGRD, BDR: Is now apparently blocked at my work. Hmmm.... Dissent still carries a price, apparently. I will check in again later.

The Good

1. The Pieces Aren't Spare: United is going to need players to fill in at times this year. So anything that indicates any sort of depth at any position is a needed positive. To that end, Chris Pontius and Rodney Wallace both showed well in the latter half of the match. They both need work. Chris needs to be more confident in his pressure. Rodney needs to learn how to hassle an opposing wing player better on defense. But they didn't look like they needed to be hidden by the rest of the team, and if both get better, as rookies should in an ideal world, then both look to have more than enough opportunities to contribute as the season goes on.
2. Chances Can Be Created: I'll get to the defense in a bit, but United will have to score goals this season to have success. This team is not going to post a lot of 1-nil victories. So even if United only managed one goal in the run of play, they still did enough to have made 2-3 goals in the run of play look possible. Yes, this is against an L.A. defense that I would not hold up as an example of the best in the MLS, but that's the point. There are more mediocre and poor back lines in MLS than there are truly elite teams, and United was able to attack from the wing (as on Pontius's goal) and down the middle (Emilio's breakaway off of Olsen's off-side dummy run, the Gomez penalty.) They will need to do this against every team that doesn't boast a top tier defense.
3. Ben Olsen: The captain's armband looks nice on him, and he will try to lead by example. His play did not lack for effort, though I will say more about this later.
   

The Bad

1. Getting to Know You: A new three-man backline is going to have some problems in the beginning. Namoff, Janicki, and Jakovic aren't exactly the most intimidating line-up you can put out there. In this match, it felt each had their moments of being exposed with not enough cover behind them (though, in order, I'd say it was Janicki, Jakovic, and Namoff in terms of culpability.) Distribution from the back line was a consistent problem in both halves. The hope is that they will learn to play together, and whomever is behind them will help keep them organized. However, I should also note that Simms and Olsen aren't quite on the same page yet. Clyde still seemed to have a single holding midfielder mentality, and Olsen as a result wasn't sliding to cover as well as he should have when Clyde was moving forward.
   
   Similarly, both McTavish and Wallace had difficulty closing down the wings, with Wallace being the more noticiable problem if only because of Chris Klein's consistently dangerous crosses. The hope is that this will get settled after seven to ten games, but that's a hope, not a projection. Still, it is something to be prepared for.
2. Josh Wicks, Keeper: Josh seems like a nice guy, and he did seem to at least communicate with his defense, but two notes: As active as he was coming off his line, I felt that he could have been even more active. Also, if you are coming off your line and Alan Gordon is bearing down on you, you must get to the ball even if it means going through one of Gordon's ears and out the other. Finally, I can't think of any actual good saves he made. He was woefully mistimed on the penalty, making it far too easy for Landon to go the other direction, and while he may not have had a chance on Landon's second goal, I'm not sure he can make saves at any point. He's in the bad for now, but it wasn't atrociusly bad. Just unconvincing. His distribution was at least not awful, and sometimes decent.
   
3. Defensive Depth: Let's inaugurate this feature for yet another year. I remain skeptical of Devon McTavish, especially as a fourth option for a three man line after spending most of a game on the wing. Marc Burch, poor man, is a left back, and it showed on the way he was fed to the wolves off the bench.
4. Makeshift LA: While I am pleased that United was able to compensate for its injuries, all joy must be tempered by the fact that LA faced the same problems. Chris Pontius's shot even against proper marking is a goal, but with proper defensive pressure from L.A. it is doubtful he's able to shape that shot. With call-ups to the national side, Chicago may not even show a test of United performing agianst another team's Best XI. Still, take these opportunities to ease into the season, and hope we use that time productively.
   

Officiating Watch

Jair Marrufo is not my favoirte official. Ever. And the penalty to Donovan was a tad ridiculous, but as awful as that call was, he got most of the other calls right. If we was truly looking to settle the score, he could have given penalties twice earlier (on Olsen's tackle in the box, or on Gomez's tackle at the top of the box.) So it's a tad unfair to say he was looking for a way of balancing the ledger. That being said, the call he missed was a howler, and the AR should have called him off of it. At the time, I thought the AR was in his ear that he had seen the handball, so I was even willing to cut Marrufo some slack, but the post-game reporting indicates that Marrufo made the call himself. For everything other than the penalty, he was a good official, even as it pains me to write that. But that call ruined his performance.

Also, I would prefer is MLS officials would understand that the ability to execute a back pass does not constitute an advantage after a foul, but this worked to United's advantage more than against it. Still...

Likert Scale Grade: 2 - Below Average

Karma Bank

We're owed by the gods. The penalty call gives us a pure favor owed to us. +1 for the season.

Man of the Match

Chris Pontius, as a rookie, notches a goal, and assists on the play that led to the Gomez penalty. Much more than I hoped for.

Final Thoughts

From the First Impressions:

"Great! I remember this kind of heady bullshit talk back during the Hudson era. Sure we were crap, but we were a "fist of a team" as Ray used to call that pathetic but headstrong excuse he trotted out week after sorry week. And now I read from you that at least we're "fearless" and "that's plenty"? No, I will continue to hope for more - even if that hope must be expressed in weekly tirades against the mismanagement of this excuse." - Anonymous

This is fair, but I have to draw a distinction between the team on the field and the off-season moves. I am bewildered by some of the off-season movement, so when I look at this team on the field, what I am hoping for is something that makes me think that this team is something other than a bunch of dead men walking. My concern regarding players on the field is that they push themselves to the limit. We can, and should, debate the front office decisions. But the players are not the ones I hold responsible for the front office.

D, you seem to agree with the general commentariat that DCU will be essentially uncompetitive this year. I'm no blind optimist, but I still don't see how we've moved backward overall since the end of last season. The offseason basically traded Guerrero for several unknown players... which is what you have to do in MLS if you want real depth, keep churning the roster with fresh faces until you find people who can stick. Perhaps the total sum of Pontius, Jacobson, Janicki, Jakovic, Wallace, N'Silu, and Peters will equal zero... but much as I appreciated what Guerrero brought to us, if even one of those players becomes a respected regular by the end of the year, then we will have lost nothing on aggregate. -- Grunthos

This is sage and wise. I do not think United will be uncompetitive, but I do not see them as a prohibitive favorite. This team should make the playoffs in my opinion, I just think it won't be a dominating run, and I can't imagine them being a favorite for any trophy this year. Still, New England looks beatable to me, New York appears to be a bigger shambles than DC, Columbus remains a giant question mark, and Chicago look formidable, but hardly unimpeachable. That makes me think 2nd in the east is not out of reach, and 3rd to 4th are more than reasonable.

Still, I have two overriding concerns that will shape my thoughts this season.

On defense, will the team learn a system that works, and how long will that take? We're younger, which is a good thing, but that also comes with a price as we have to allow for mistakes. Add to that a defense that will probably get into card trouble, and we know it's going to be a tough slog later in the year even if the players do get the system down after the first third of the season.

On the attack, Gomez isn't going every match, Moreno isn't going every match, Fred and Tino both can pick up knocks, and Emilio is streaky as high quality bacon. This team needs to score goals, and will have to do it with various players coming into the system. Can it work? I think while I am at least pleased with what I have seen now, I'm not sure we'll have a good sense as to how the season is wearing on players until match day 20. And right now, I'm still more worried in terms of potential success than hopeful.

Debriefing for Match 13.D.01: Deportivo Saprissa

D.C. United 0 : 2 Saprissa

Six Word Novel Recap

Pity those sent out to fail.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Times, John Haydon: "Undermanned because of injuries and playing with only 10 men for 50 minutes, D.C. United fell 2-0 to Costa Rican champion Deportivo Saprissa at RFK Stadium on Tuesday night."
The Washington Post, the Goffather: "With the injuries and 12 MLS and Champions League games scheduled over six weeks, Soehn could not utilize his best lineup last night. The back line and central midfield remained the same and top scorer Luciano Emilio made his first start in two weeks, but Soehn also inserted rookie Ryan Cordeiro onto the front line, newly acquired Thabiso Khumalo on the right flank, rookie Craig Thompson on the left and Zach Wells in goal. "
SoccerAmerica, Ridge Mahoney: "United contributed to its own demise when Devon McTavish waded into a midfield tussle that prompted referee Marco Rodriguez to call a foul on Santino Quaranta. McTavish barreled in and kicked the ball as well as Alexander Robinson, apparently after Rodriguez had blown the whistle, prompting the official to send him off and caution Quaranta as well in the 35th minute."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "While the decision mystified United's players and coaches, their frustration was tempered by fatalism as the team ponders its long-running string of misfortune. Despite the Costa Ricans' numerical advantage, D.C. hauled themselves back into the game in the second half, only to see Saprissa netminder Keilor Navas produce two scintillating saves to deny well-hit free kick blasts by Marc Burch."
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "It was plain to see why Saprissa are 5-time champions of CONCACAF with their abundant skill and speed all over the field. United were no match and only after falling behind by 2-0 early in the second half did United begin to attack the Saprissa goal."
Goal.Com, Shane Evans: "A bright spot for the home team was the play of recently signed Thabiso Khumalo who showed spark and dedication down the flanks. He also played well defensively, tracking back to the ball on numerous occasions, most of the time all over the pitch."
Caught in Possession, Charles Boehm: "...it makes me angry at league suits who treat the first touches, challenges, hard running etc. of these living, breathing human bodies like just another digit in an equation, a vector on a spreadsheet alongside capital investment, tax incremental financing, advertising revenue and the like. "
Fighting Talker, Aaron Stollar: "United never once stood a chance of winning last night’s match. Nearly thirty percent of this ostensibly Major League team was made up players too inexperienced to even be described as “spare parts.”"
DCUMD, Shatz: "The league needs to set its priorities straight. If the priority is still to make the league and the teams profitable as soon as possible, then I understand the cap restrictions, but then why play so many damn games? If the priority is make the league better respected internationally, then the league needs to give the teams more incentive to try to do so in international tournaments, instead of just rolling out the reserves, and needs to give the teams the tools (cap space, increased roster spots) to do it. "
The Fullback Files, Fullback: "...let's address that "built for international competition" issue a bit. It seems funny that the FO's emphasis has been on success on the international stage, and yet so far we've (1) dropped three matches at home in SuperLiga and (2) pretty much sacrificed our Champions' League advancement for an MLS playoff push. I've got a couple of thoughts on that. First, it seems that SuperLiga and the CCL both fell prey to the injury crisis. An injury crisis that's now almost entering its third month! Ridiculous. If I may, I'd like to make the humble suggestion that perhaps we sink some of Gallardo's $1.9 million into fitness staff. I know, I know, it's all MLS's fault for the pathetic size of rosters and the salary cap and blah, blah, blah. Whatever. The fact is, any craftsman knows you've got to take care of your tools if you want to get the job done."
BLCKDGRD, BDR: "I'm fighting the urge to be reasonable. I'm fighting the urge to give United the benefit of a doubt. I'm fighting the urge to excuse another dismal international failure through the evocation of rinkydinkism, the belief that United's lameness is forgivable by dint of its financial constraints (and concurrent rube's pride at personal loyalty to such a rinkydink institution). I'm fighting and losing."

The Good

1. Giving it all: I don't disagree with Tom Soehn's comments that the team put out its all. While I can complain about any number of giveaways, botched passes, and meandering moments of possession, every player on this team who started went out and gave a good effort. They did not surrender, they did not roll over. They just weren't cumulatively any good.
2. Zach Wells: If you want to be cruel, you can say he was slow getting over the line on the first goal, which ignores the fact that his view was obscured when Marc Burch lost the ball at the top of the box during what should have been a defensive clearence. Other than that, he did make two big saves, and only had one "Moment of Panic" when he completely misjudged coming off his line to take out a through ball. The most recent starts for Wells have been, really, not that bad.

The Bad

1. Devon MacTavish Sees Red: Yes, the red card was harsh, but not undeservedly harsh. If the whistle blows, and you take out someone's legs, red is a completley legitimate outcome. It doesn't matter if you didn't hear the whistle. It doesn't matter if you took out the legs softly, like a kitten marking someone's shins. It's a red, and even if it had happened in the run of play, it would have been a yellow.
2. D.C. United Contingency Planning, Defensive: Let's say a few things about injuries and forced subsitutions. The idea is that you'd like to have at least one credible player extra for each position. Tino has actually managed to do well once Gallardo went out. It's early, but Khumalo has done well as the third option after Jaime and Emilio. Vide and Guerrero have done well filling in for Fred and Olsen. But on defense... well, we've got nothing. Right now MacTavish and Burch are not particularly great CB options, and Burch is playing out of position for the position he usually plays out of (please, diagram that sentence). MacTavish should be a last resort, not a starter. And right now, we have one defensive injury that is forcing two difficult decisions in the center of defense. That's simply not acceptable.
3. The worst successful season ever: As I said, any season that you get silverware is a success, but this may be the most pyrrhic victory in United's season long campaigns ever. Reading the blogs, you get the sense that people are finally losing it. It may be bad luck, and injuries, and roster restrictions from MLS, but it has finally come due. You can play above your head for only so long.
   

Officiating Watch

N/A for international matches, but I will say that it was interesting to see what a very, very tightly officiated game looked like. It was consistently tight, as well. This is almost the referee I think that would benefit United in league play, provided United had their starters. Just something to keep in mind before blasting away.

Likert Scale Rating: N/A
N/A

Final Thoughts

I write first impressions posts, in part, to capture the moment of feeling just after a game ends, and to examine if that feeling changes. Also, to force myself to write something, anything, on every game.

I was angry last night, and after writing the First Impressions post, it was a bit cathartic. Okay, not really. Anger has been replaced with sadness. An overwhelming feeling of "So, this is what it has come to for this team." A team that stitches the word "TRADITION" on the back of their jerseys, a tradition that includes credible efforts in the CONCACAF Champion's Cup, instead decided to play the tactical retreat card. It may be sensible, but how can this not be galling? How can you possible be reasonable after this? If this match doesn't upset you, at some level, then I credit your powers of zen-like imperturbability.

I wrote earlier that this team reminded me more and more of the 2005 L.A. Galaxy. And that's a best case scenario. This season, even if United manages an MLS Cup win, is not a great season. It might be a testament to grit, or determination, or duct tape improvisation, but to place it in the TRADITION of the great United teams is to dishonor those teams.