Debriefing for Match 13.B.01: Chivas Guadalajara

D.C. United 1 : 2 C.D. Guadalajara

Superliga, Match Day 1

Six Word Novel Recap

Lights go out with United's hopes.

Six Word Novel Literary Criticism of Six Word Novel Recap

That recap is over-dramatic, too sentimental.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Times, John Haydon: "...a depleted United team was beaten by a tactically superior one as United lost 2-1 Mexican club CD Guadalajara...The game was delayed 19 minutes when the stadium lights went out in the 59th minute...The score might have been worse, if not for United goalie Zach Wells playing one of his better games. Even at his best, Wells couldn't stop Gonzalo Pineda's brilliant game-winner — a free kick in 72nd minute."
The Washington Post, The Goffather: "The match got off to a roaring start, with both sides probing the attacking channels and searching for an early advantage. Wells made a diving save on Sergio Santana's bid and Emilio smashed an angled drive off the near post with such velocity, the rebound struck Chivas's Héctor Reynoso several yards from the net and nearly spun in for an own goal. Chivas seized the lead in the 24th minute...Bryan Namoff's challenge was unsuccessful, allowing Arellano to jet past the advancing Wells and tuck an angled shot into the far corner."
DC Sports Box, Craig Stone: "Luciano Emilio cut the lead in the 76th minute when he emerged from a pack of players with the ball and a clean look at the net in the Chivas penalty area. Emilio quickly pushed a low shot underneath Chivas goalie Luis Michel to make it 2-1. Namoff assisted on the goal."
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "United believed they had a golden opportunity to even the match at 2-2 when Emilio was brought down in the box by Olivera after being sent in by Moreno. Queseda didn't hesitate to point to the spot and the RFK faithful were anticipating the tying goal. However Michel dove to his left and palmed away the attempt from Moreno and the score remained at 2-1."|
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "United would dominate possession in the final minutes, throwing everything they had at Michel's goal, but his Chivas teammates persevered despite tired legs and escaped with a 2-1 victory to maintain their advantage in the cross-border rivalry."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "...after being outhustled and outmaneuvered by their opponents for most of the first half, United made some tactical changes, pushing McTavish from center back into midfield to counteract the Mexicans' numerical advantage as striker Jaime Moreno dropped deeper to orchestrate possession. Ten minutes into half two, McTavish even dashed into the Chivas penalty area and slapped a shot of his own off the right post."
Superliga 2008, Dave Lifton: "It was a match that featured all sorts of unusual occurrences, including an illegal throw-in, a handled backpass, a missed penalty kick by the usually reliable Jaime Moreno, and, most bizarrely, a 19-minute delay when the stadium's floodlights inexplicably cut out."
DCUMD, Shatz: "I didn't like the starting lineup that Tom Soehn utilized, but I did like the changes. His halftime lineup is probably what we should have started the match with."
BLCKDGRD, BDR: "It's games like this - which I adore, mind - that remind me how rinkydink MLS remains (and how far MLS has come from truer, deeper, rinkydinkiness). The eleven United started would have beat any MLS team last night comfortably, but United's depth of talent, both quantitatively and qualitatively, vis a vis a major Mexican side, is glaring. Rod Dyachenko? Please."
Fighting Talker, Aaron Stollar: "Rod Dyachenko and Craig Thompson weren’t fit to wear the shirt. Look, I have no doubt that both guys tried their darnedest out there, but neither of them are MLS caliber players and Thompson isn’t even close to that level. Dyachenko’s decision making simply isn’t precise enough for MLS, leading to giveaways when decent passing options are often at hand. Thompson is purely a USL player, all hustle and zero skill on the ball."
The Fullback Files, Fullback: "Dyachecko needs to go. Glacial movement, holding the ball too long, passes direct to the opposition--all these and more can be yours if you'll but give us a third or fourth round draft pick!" [Note: And to think, we traded a first round pick to get him back from Toronto...]
Goalscoring Robot, Sarah: "In the end, it was Chivas' lack of finishing that didn't drive the score up and DC was just plain lucky that the final was 2-1. "
Who Ate All the Cupcakes, El Guero: "Chivas came out to play"

The Good

1. Zach Wells: His best game to date in a United uniform, and it was a shame it was a match that involved two goals. If you're looking to invent reasons to hate him, I'm sure you can, but objectively he did all he could on both goals, and saved many more.
2. Our Best are the Best: Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno both had excellent games, and Emilio deserves a special call-out given the long run out he had recently against Chicago. They were some of the best players on the field in either uniform, and played up to expectations.

The Bad

1. Defensive Reliability: Gonzalo Martinez, who has been the best new defender for United this year, finally screwed up big time and started the chain of events for the game winning goal. McTavish and Burch were an awkward, at best, backline pairing. It wasn't that they're slow - they're arguable faster than most backline pairs we've put out over the past three years - but they are not aware enough to suddenly take on smarter offenses than you average MLS team (and make no mistake, Chivas is better than you average MLS team in terms of thinking how to attack).
2. "We are Built for International Play": See Final Thoughts below
   
3. Minor League: Seriously, the lights went out? Even Dave Johnson calls foul on this over at WTOP. A huge embarrassment for this team, and perhaps more importantly, this city.
4. Rod Dyachenko: I think I see why he's mildly effective as a substitute. When defenses are a bit tired, they're less likely to swarm and more prone to being beat when he has the ball at his feet. But when their fresh, willing to run and attack? Then he's exposed.
   

Officiating Watch

N/A, but I want to draw attention to the case of the illegal throw in. Both Copa Sudamericana competitions that United have competed in have involved center officials actually calling an illegal throw (against Catolica, I seem to recall both teams being called on it within a minute.) Now one in this match. I think these are the correct calls, and it just shows that there is some stuff that MLS refs aren't calling when they should. Just a quick note.

Likert Scale Grade: Not Rated

Man of the Match

N/A, but merit awards to Moreno (despite the PK save), Emilio, and Wells. Goat to... whew, tough competition. You have Simms first bad tackle, but Namoff surpasses that. And you have McTavish having just an awful match until he was shifted out. Tough call, but I give it to... Rod Dyachenko, who is just as awful as everyone made out above.

Final Thoughts

Part of the reason I had been rating Superliga ahead of the U.S. Open Cup is because of how this season was sold to us. This year we were supposed to be built for International Play. Superliga was the first tournament in form we would see that this revamped roster would apply to. And for the first game of Superliga:

• Franco Niell - Contract Terminated
• Marcello Gallardo - Injured, Did Not Play
• Gonzalo Perralta - Inured, Did Not Play
• Gonzalo Martinez - Played decently, but directly contributed to Chivas Game Winning Goal.

75% of the moves made to improve this team's competitiveness did not play. That's depressing. What's more, even if Gallardo does take the field against Atlante, Emilio and Moreno both must be close to total depletion given the effort they put out recently. This does not bode well, and if you aren't questioning the moves made earlier this season, shouldn't you?

Debriefing for Match 13.15: L.A. Galaxy

D.C. United 4 : 1 Los Angeles Galaxy

Six Word Novel Recap

Martinez closes down on the Goldenballs.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Times, John Haydon: "The offensive trio of Luciano Emilio, Marcelo Gallardo and Jaime Moreno - dubbed the "Iron Triangle" - combined for four goals, and the oft-criticized defense kept Beckham and Landon Donovan off the scoreboard as United defeated the Galaxy 4-1 on Sunday in front of 35,979 at RFK Stadium."
The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "They watched Luciano Emilio score two goals, giving him nine during United's six-game unbeaten streak, and observed embattled goalkeeper Zach Wells make several excellent saves in his finest performance of the season. They saw Beckham largely neutralized by United's ever-tightening defense, and in the most emotional moment of the joyous day, they provided a thunderous ovation for veteran midfielder Ben Olsen, who made his 2008 debut in the second half after being sidelined because of a career-threatening ankle injury."
The Washington Times, Drew Hansen: "...on Sunday, with Olsen's injuries improving and with a week of training under his belt, he was back out on the pitch...When Olsen stood up to enter, he received one of the loudest ovations of the day from a crowd of 35,979 (no small feat when Beckham is in attendance). He replaced team captain Jaime Moreno, United's longest tenured player and MLS' all-time leading scorer. The two shared a hug, and then Moreno handed him the captain's armband."
WTOP News, Dave Johnson: "There were goals—five of them, and some beauties—but one of the biggest cheers of the day was reserved for a D.C. United veteran, and a further sign of soccer's standing in this country. There was a rumbling that built into a roar as Ben Olsen rose from the bench and entered the game against the L.A. Galaxy late in the second half.
The LA Times: is too pathetic to shell out for their own beat reporter, and uses an AP Feed. Pathetic.
UnitedMania, Chris Webb: "A 5th minute penalty conversion from Jaime Moreno got the hosts off to a dream start...United gave up the lead just five minutes later when Keystone Cops defending from United's back four gifted Edson Buddle his 10th goal of the season. United seemed to have the situation under control but a botched clearance between numerous United defenders ended up on the grateful foot of Buddle who slipped it past a stunned Zach Wells...United did indeed regain the lead in the 37th minute with Emilio's 9th goal of the season. Gallardo's brilliance in ball control in the middle of the field factored into a ball that eventually found it's way through the box to the left side where substitute Marc Burch, on for the injured Quaranta, lofted a cross to Emilio who headed back across goal past the diving Cronin for a 2-1 lead."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "A clash of No. 10s in front of the team benches drew blood and bad tempers in the 41st minute, as Donovan draped himself all over Gallardo's back as the D.C. playmaker held possession. Donovan's pushing and grabbing was met with a backwards elbow from Gallardo, sending his tormentor to the turf with a bloody nose...But United's midfield maestro took his next chance with aplomb, pushing the lead to two goals after smartly following the ball into the box as Emilio tried to turn on two defenders at the hour mark. Though his Brazilian teammate was well-defended, the ball took a quirky deflection into space and Gallardo was the quickest of the bunch, zipping forward to dink a savvy finish into the left side of the net to run the score to 3-1."
MLSNet, Chris Snear: "United put the game out of reach on one of the more simple goals Emilio he has scored all year to make the score 4-1 in the 69th minute. Gallardo played a ball wide right to Fred, who was close to an offside position on the right flank. The speedy Brazilian raced in to the penalty area and pushed the ball around a committed Cronin, to Emilio and the wide open goal."
The Offside: D.C. United, Jon: "Where to begin? Oh, I know. Greater than the win, or the crowd, or beating Becks. Ben Olsen, heart and soul of DC United, stepped back on the pitch for the time this season. Did he look great? No. Did it matter? Not at all."
Sideline Views, Andrea Canales: "DC an emphatic win at home. It might have been different if the call had been made for the elbow against Gallardo, but the home team took care of business."
DCUMD, Shatz: "Recently, United has been beating lesser opponents while giving up too many goalscoring opportunities. But in this match, against inarguably one of the most talented offensive teams in the league, DC dominated possession, dominated the scoreline, and performed admirably well on defense...Marcelo Gallardo was largely uninvolved for most of the first half, at least at times when he wasn't smacking Donovan in the nose."
BLCKDGRD, BDR: "Any questions on whether Marcelo Gallardo was the best player on the field? Yes, he gacked a couple, but his diagonals into space are brilliant. Moreno gets him, Emilio gets him, Martinez especially gets him, Namoff gets him, Quaranta gets him. It's going to be beautiful...Maybe the team is rounding - I'm still skeptical - but they needed nine of nine points out of this homestand before July's diversions, and they got nine points out of the homestand. And it feels to me like the team now has a personality it didn't for the first months. I'm still skeptical, but I'm no longer pessimistic."
Fighting Talker, Aaron Stollar: "Wells did absolutely everything needed to do today and I will give him full credit for it. You can’t fault him for the goal and he came up with a few spectacular saves today especially the tip while backing up from Landon’s shot."
Poplar Point Perspective, JCM: "DC United are back."

The Good

1. Ben Olsen: You can say, and we have said, all that you want about this team missing Ben Olsen, but that forgets how much we fans missed him. C'mon, you were playing the theme to The Natural when he retook the field in your head, right? Seeing him with the armband on, on the field, the great signs in the crowd "14 - Heart of a Lion" Go ahead, you got choked up. It's okay. We all did. For more on that, before it happened, I commend Dave Lifton's comparison to Mr. Reyna, and a shot at the Red Bull fans who are disgraceful. Read it.
   
2. The Imperial Stormtroopers of the Evil Empire Invade the Galaxy: I'll admit, when Tom Soehn and Marcello Gallardo were wondering about heat and humidity, part of me was worried that this was a team making excuses in advance for a lackluster effort. I was wrong. Tom Soehn ordered, cajoled, and dictated that his team run at the LA Defense, who wilted. It was good coaching, good tactics, and once weaknesses were found Tom Soehn got the team to exploit them for all they were worth. To that end, we should note that Gallardo, Burch, Fred, Tino, Emilio, and Moreno all had excellent games in taking on and executing a forceful attack, and moving in for the kill when LA was overcome by the elements.
   
3. LCDR Zach Wells: Some really good saves, some confidence building moves, and the one time he was beat it was thanks to three United defenders missing the mark. If you were waiting for a game where Zach Wells wasn't just adequate, but actually helped the team to win, this is the game, and accordingly we promote him to Lieutenant Commander (O-4).
   
4. Marc Burch: This was the first time I've seen him come in at left back and really do well. Part of that is the LA Defense, and the defensive contribution they got from their midfield on the right side. But part of it was Marc actually knowing how to create space and not let his left foot get shut down.
5. McTavish - Martinez: Special commendations to these gentlemen, who took their marking responsibilities seriously. Donovan was limited severely in his action, and Devon made some good, clinical plays to shore up what has been a ridiculously leaky central defense. Martinez vs. Beckham was wonderful. David would find space, but Martinez would close him down quickly rather then back off, and while he may have made the future Martinez generations pay for his defending, I was heartened to see it.
6. Landon Donovan: His team quit, but he never did. Credit where it is due.
   

The Bad

1. Ben Olsen: I'm a heartless bastard, but really, let's admit this - Ben Olsen is not match fit. I know, it doesn't matter, but I want to preempt any temptation that you might have in the wake of Tino going out early to say "Well, good thing we got Ben back just in time." He's not ready. He may not ever be fully fit this season. That's okay. What he did was enough, just don't put more on him than he needs to deal with right now.
2. F-R-E-*: Until Fre* manages to finish a chance, I am now refusing to finish typing his name. On that final goal, tell me you weren't relieved to see him pass up the shot to Emilio for the goal.
   
3. Gallardo's Gesticulations: We'll talk more about this, but I'm not entirely going to excuse the Gallardo bloodying of Landon's nose as purely accidental. Marcello felt remorse for his actions, and he should have. What's more, he imperiled the team with the risk of playing down a man.
   

Officiating Watch

Jair Marrufo got one big call right (the penalty awarded on the tackle of Quaranta in the fifth minute) but got far more wrong. He let tough fouls go all day. Beckham fouled Moreno. Moreno fouled Beckham. Too many fouls were allowed to play on. And yes, Gallardo deserved an ejection (and let's not say he's clear of things yet, since I wouldn't be totally surprised to hear of a league review). For two straight games, we've had officials whose lackadaisical approach to the Laws of the Game do not bias the match to one side or another, but rather endanger and detract from both sides.

The ARs, other than not helping out on the deserved red to Gallardo, seemed right on for the most part. Landon was off-side, if only just, on the one goal that was called back.

Likert Scale Grade: 2 -Below Average

Man of the Match

Devon McTavish. I know we had a brace from Emilio, but I want to reward what was one of the better defensive efforts this team has put forth against a very talented attacking side. Merit awards to Gallardo, Soehn, Emilio, Burch, Wells, and Martinez. Notes of Censure to Fre* and Perralta. Special Merit Award of Perpetual Honor and Gumption to Ben Olsen.

Final Thoughts

I've been thinking about this team all wrong. I've been expecting them to turn into "The Best Team in MLS" They're not going to do that. The defense, which should on paper be an upgrade, seems instead to have an upper limit of "acceptable" at the end of the season. The offense is finally turning into something fun to watch. Which leads me to what I should have been expecting from this team. They're not the best team in MLS, but they are "The Most Entertaining Team in MLS" The goals and attack are fun to watch, and the defense will have you on edge and could collapse like a building imploding at any moment.

And frankly, that's not a bad thing. I'll take fun to watch over crappy AND boring. This team won't be humming along as a surgical tool ever this season. And that's okay. Accept the gifts we are given, and let's have fun. United will no doubt lose more games this season, and may look damn foolish during some of them, but that's okay. Enjoy the ride.

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.

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

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

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

Six Word Novel Recap

You thought it would be simple?

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

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

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

The Good

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

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

The Bad

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

Man of the Match

N/A

Karma Bank

N/A

(Semi) Final Thoughts

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

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

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

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

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

Six Word Novel Recap

They got up. They stood up.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

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

The Good

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

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

The Bad

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

Man of the Match

Devon McTavish.

Karma Bank

N/A

Final Thoughts

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

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

Sympathy for the Devon

AWAY IN MEXICO: We'll start with what isn't the must-read of the day. Okay, the news angle today is primarily about tonight's match against Chivas Guadalajara. John Haydon in the Times uses the one sentence paragraph to make the historical significance clear: "In fact, no American club has won in Mexico." And The Bog Man apparently had a long conversation with The Goffather to explain how the away-goals rule works:

American club tournament's quarterfinals; the MLS club would also advance by scoring at least twice in a one-goal loss. A 2-1 defeat would yield overtime and possibly penalty kicks.

Good. That's pretty clear. There is a lot talk about possible fatigue. Given that I'm exhausted just by thinking of staying up that late, I can imagine it has to be worse for people that actually, you know, play the game. Still, as I've written before, Marc Burch has been a hidden catalyst for success and excellence with United, and I think his absence could prove more disruptive in the long run.

DEVON MCTAVISH - HE'S A NICE GUY: Your must read article of the day comes from The Winchester Star's profile of Devon McTavish slash game recap against Toronto slash wider view of MLS Life. This is just a wonderful article to take a bit of time to read, as it takes a lot of space, but uses it to get at a lot of things for an audience that may not be as in the weeds as we are here.

"We have a joke that he’s [McTavish's] like, the perfect guy," Boswell said. "(Teammates) always give me a lot of crap about not introducing him to some of the girls in the city.

"I say that none of them are good enough for him."

Boswell as protective father figure? Huh. Anyways, the story is all the more interesting because you get the sense that Devon is actually a pretty shy guy in some ways, which makes this profile stand out.

AND WHERE WOULD WE GO THEN: Soccer America looks dangerously beyond tonight to ask what happens if DC wins (if I believed in karma, articles like this would count heavily on the negative side of the ledger):

United spokesman Doug Hicks says Arsenal would host the home leg next week and United would host two weeks later, probably Oct. 23 or 24. That would necessitate United playing a midweek Copa Sudamericana game at RFK and traveling for its playoff opener, but the alternative would be a long plane flight to Buenos Aires...

Aresenal de Sarandí eh? Anyone good ever played for that club? Hey, that sixth name in the midfield seems familiar...

Debriefing for Match 12.20: New York Red Bulls

D.C. United 3 : 1 New York Red Bulls

JAMIE MORENO BECOMES MLS CAREER GOALS LEADER WITH 109

Six Word Novel Recap

Record is a comma, not period.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "Moreno's historic strike came on a night when United (11-6-3) scored twice in the first eight minutes, endured New York's intense pressure and Juan Pablo Angel's goal midway through the half, then secured its fourth consecutive MLS victory to move within three points of first-place New England in the Eastern Conference."
The Washington Times, John Haydon: "Moreno's moment came after United striker Luciano Emilio was tripped in the box by Red Bulls defender Hunter Freeman. Referee Ricardo Salazar awarded a penalty kick, and immediately the crowd roared. Moreno said he initially asked Emilio whether he wanted to take the spot kick, but Olsen pressured him to take the shot. 'I didn't want to score on a penalty to be honest with you, but Benny told me to take it and get it over with,' Moreno said."
The Examiner, Craig Stouffer: "With less than six minutes played, New York goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus spilled United midfielder Fred’s shot, the loose ball promptly cleaned up by Ben Olsen to put the home team ahead, 1-0. Barely two minutes later Olsen worked a combination with Moreno on the right side of the box, his cross at from the end line deflecting off the foot of New York defender Chris Leitch and falling perfectly for Christian Gomez to nod in at the far post and double D.C.’s lead."
The Herald News, Ives Galarcep: "There are no skeletons or ghosts or witches visible at RFK Stadium but that hasn't stopped it from being a house of horrors for the Red Bulls..."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "Moreno's historic achievement would have been almost inconceivable to most observers just a few short seasons ago, when the Bolivian star was debilitated by a series of injuries that placed his career in serious jeopardy."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "The result stretches D.C.'s league winning streak to four games, vaults the Black-and-Red ahead of New York for sole possession of second place, and ensures that the Atlantic Cup trophy will remain in the nation's capital for yet another season."
MLSNet, Chris Snear: " The Red Bulls certainly missed Claudio Reyna's ability to hold the ball and control the tempo of the match in the midfield."
United Mania, Mike Martin: "Olsen beat everyone to the lose ball for the finish to give United the lead in the sixth minute...DC extended their lead a mere two minutes later as Olsen turned provider this time. The Red Bulls Chris Leitch took a poor touch and Olsen stripped him of the ball to burst down to the endline and launch a cross in front of the goal where United’s Christian Gomez hurled himself into the bouncing ball to nod it into the net for a 2-0 lead before ten minutes had been played. New York pulled one back midway through the first half as Marc Burch slipped while attempting to cut back on Juan Pablo Angel. Angel was able to slip the ball forward to Dane Richards in the area. Perkins rashly came out and took a swipe at the ball, but only succeeded in bringing down Richards for a penalty kick."
An American's View, Brian Garrison: "Now that was a pretty good match to watch. We had drama, scoring, a record and a trophy. Not a bad night out at the ol' ball park."
BlackDogRed, BDR: "Simms has earned holding, and with Gomez up top and Fred and Olsen on wings, that's United's best midfield. Fred is going to tear this league up - defenders are already giving him to much space in deference already, yards of space in fear."
Sideline Views, Luis Bueno: "It's a somewhat memorable accomplishment but it will be broken sooner rather than later. Taylor Twellman has 85 career goals right now...I'm not trying to take anything away from Moreno. His accomplishment is grand. I just think there needs to be some perspective about what this record means."
Soccer by Ives, Ives Galarcep: "This hasn't been a good day for the Red Bulls' fullbacks. Freeman and Leitch have been at fault in all three goals. Shouldn't be too much of a surprise with Fred and Olsen on the wings for DC.

The Good

1. 109: It does feel good to see Jaime finally reach the mark. The importance isn't just the record, but the fact that Jaime hasn't really ever received his due from people that haven't been biased towards him (like me) or haven't played with him. Man was a legitimate MLS MVP candidate in 2004, but didn't even win comeback player of the year. If you look at the MLS Awards page, you only see Jaime Moreno's name once -- his 1997 golden boot performance. Something that wasn't voted on, or conferred upon him, it was something he took through performance alone. That's what Luis misses in his quote below: Sure, Moreno's record, whatever he finally puts it at, will fall. And probably within a few years. But once again, simply because of his performance on the field, he has earned the right to stand above and alone. That's the true significance: It is a legitimizing moment for a career that has far too often not gotten its due from people who never wore black and red.
2. Balance, Metaphorically: You can get goals from hard work. You can get goals from clever skill. United got goals using both, stretching up some beautiful passing, but finishing through sheer doggedness. The first goal was Troy Perkins connecting on a long pass (which will probably only encourage him...) and Fred using some great skills to get in on the keeper, but the finish was simply determination with Olsen crashing the net. The second goal isn't so much about Olsen's assist, but the high pressure and tackle he applied previously to take the ball away in New York's defensive third. The third goal's penalty was earned thanks to the mythical back-heel, and it was a pretty little move to spring Emilio free. Nice to see all of that.
3. Clyde Simms: The starting midfielder job is his.
   
4. Troy Perkins: First, kudos to Clint Mathis for his opportunism in sending in a free kick when Troy was well out of position still trying to organize the defense. But bigger Kudos to Troy to flying back and extinguishing the last gasp from New York to dream of salvaging a point.
5. Fred: The goatee looks silly. The skills do not.
   

The Bad

1. Dane Richards: There was a moment when Richards sent a knee in a hard challenge into Moreno, and then acted indignant when whistled for the foul, repeatedly making the "get up, quit diving" motion with his hand. There is no question it was a foul, and while it may not have been as hard as Moreno reacted to it, it was still very clear. Dane, you fouled the dude. It's okay, but don't act like Ricardo Salazar was sold a bill of goods. That's just a young punk move to refuse to accept responsibility. Moreno is a legend, you not so much yet. Yes, you have world-class speed, but I'd hate to think you only had medium-sized village attitude.
   
2. Balance, Literally: Both Burch and Namoff had awkward moments keeping their footing, and in both cases DC had to react fast to maintain any sort of defensive shape (and gave up a penalty in the first.) I've saw enough falling down in the first home game of the season, I don't want to see more. Yes, I know it's always over the infield, but perhaps we need to change spikes at the half or something.
   
3. 
   

Man of the Match

Ben Olsen. One goal, one assist, and one stern command to tell Jaime to go up and take the damn spot kick. Good night. Merit awards to Vanney (other than the back header), Simms, Moreno, Fred, and Gomez. Demerit to Burch for that one sequence (otherwise a decent game, and kind of fun to watch our left back attempt a neat one-two and break into the box).

Karma Bank

Here's how I figure it. +3 entering the game, but there's a -1 for the fortunate deflection off of Olsen's cross to Moreno's head. Both penalties were legit, so no movement there. I'm almost tempted to add -1 for not having to deal with either Kovalenko or Reyna, but I think not. So let's say -1 for the match, leaving us at +2 for the year.

Final Thoughts

These things are frickin' long to write. I almost forget what I want to talk about when I reach here. Okay, but here's what I have to say.

Let's talk about the rebuilding year thing. I have maintained that this was a rebuilding year, that this team still had holes they had to plug on defense if they wanted to really be elite. I maintain that I was right, since I always maintained one could rebuild but still be competitive. That being said, I have to wonder if I was also wrong. Not entirely, but perhaps the rebuilding just wasn't a year long period, perhaps it was only a 2/3rds of the season period. The emergence of Burch and McTavish make the backline situation much better, almost even a positive. With options of Namoff, McTavish, Boswell, Vanney, Burch... that's at least stable, if not particularly deep. Then again, in MLS, who is?

For the Boswell thing, I still don't quite get it. Again, as I thought after the Columbus game, there were times in this game when I would have liked to have seen his influence on the back. That being said, Moreno and Emilio have both been sat for a bit as part of Soehn's plans, and Boswell certainly doesn't deserve special treatment in that area. I just don't see what he has done to lose his job, especially after that encouraging performance against LA in league play. I also haven't seen enough from Vanney or McTavish to make me think that either had done enough to displace him. But I don't see practices, so I'm more than willing to entertain the idea that I am missing something.

Tonight, I got a result I really wanted. It feels good. Now I can dispense with the parochialism of irrational grudges, and return to wondering if this team can somehow defend the Supporter's Shield. Given the tightness of the table, it's still easy to fall away, but only now do I feel comfortable saying they can challenge. Let's hope that isn't the kiss of death. But if they play against teams the way the played last night, especially (and doubtfully) on the road, then this team has a lot to say for it.

Debriefing for Match 12.10: Chiago Fire

DC United 3 : 1 Chicago Fire

Six Word Novel Recap

If they give it, take it.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "United (5-3-2) extended its unbeaten streak to seven games, but unlike most of the encounters during this fine stretch, D.C. was never seriously challenged in recording its fourth consecutive victory at home."
The Washington Times, John Haydon: "Chicago was missing five key players because of injuries and national team duty, including top striker Chris Rolfe, who is out with an ankle injury. United took advantage, taking the lead six minutes into the game by exploiting a major error from Fire goalie Matt Pickens. "
UnitedMania, Jimmy LaRoue: "Chicago goalkeeper Matt Pickens gifted Dyachenko’s first-ever United goal in the 6th minute when he mishandled Fred’s short-hopped cross. The ball fell to Dyachenko, who had no trouble scoring from close-range...Emilio got his first goal of the night in the 25th minute when Christian Gomez played the Brazilian through. With Pickens coming out, Emilion chipped the ball over the Fire goalkeeper from 25 yards to give United a two-goal lead."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "The Argentinean found Emilio with a well-weighted chip over the Fire backline for D.C.'s second score, and it was a Gomez shot that nicked off Pickens' hands and fell to the Brazilian striker for his point-blank finish in the 51st minute. After a barren stretch in May, Emilio's scoring form has risen with the summer temperatures: he's hit three goals in his last two matches."
MLSNet, Jordan Brown:"Monteiro left United defender Facundo Erpen in his dust and placed a perfectly positioned ball past United 'keeper Troy Perkins in the 54th minute to give the Fire some life after falling behind by three goals just three minutes earlier on Emilio's second strike of the game."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "Pickens' goal looked like the business end of a United shooting drill in the 81st minute, as Olsen flew down the right flank and cut inside before laying off to Moose, who cranked a low, knuckling blast that the Fire goalkeeper parried away. Fred immediately smashed the rebound toward goal again, but with Pickens at his mercy his bid skipped wide to the left."
An American's View..., Brian Garrison: "The best sign of the night wasn't Emillio's two goals, or Benny's awesome flank play or the play of Gomez...it was that once United reverted back to the bumbling, stumbling defensive unit and allowed the one Fire goal, they went right back to work and shut down every and any attempt the Fire made to truly get back into the match."
The Offside: DC United, Max J: "I am a big Dyachenko fan, but I’m hoping we’ve seen the first and last of Striker Rod. He wasn’t awful but still played generally as expected: serviceable if unspectactular and a bit of an anchor. It seems ridiculous to say we misssed Kpene’s touch in a game where we scored three goals, but I felt it."
BlackDogRed: "He's [Dyachenko] a midfielder with midfielder instincts, so adjustments were expected and I should cut him some slack. It was interesting watching Dyachenko and Emilio figure the other out, especially early: Emilio would receive, back to the goal thirty yards out, and lay off where Moreno would have been and Dyachenko wasn't. Did get better as the game went on, but it's significant that when Addlery came on for Olsen Dyachenko moved back."
The Edgell Supporters: "By the way, everybody hates you HDNet, just sayin."
The Offside: Chicago Fire: "...unless someone can find a compelling set of reasons otherwise, it surely is time for Dave to collect his things and leave Toyota Park. I know we’re missing players, but this is MLS, not the Premiership. The Fire have only managed one win and one tie since May began. I’m jumping off the fence and onto the fire Dave bandwagon."
ALSO: Kyle G's Photo Gallery (great shot of the Barra at one point), Screaming Eagles Podcast (in which Fred skillfully avoids answering a tough question), QuarterVolley (shares our concern about goals after goals), DCist, ... (more as noted)

The Good

1. Punishing Mistakes: We did to Chicago what Kansas City did to us earlier in the year. When one team make a mistake to give you a great goal scoring opportunity, you take it. You then make damn sure you don't promptly surrender the lead. Dyachenko's goal was a complete gift, but United did the right things with it.
2. Emilio's Chip: I know Lifton thinks that Fred had it covered if it missed the far post. Still, that's a goal that is probably more difficult than it looks. How often have we seen Jaime Moreno, or Christian Gomez, in a similar situation just send it wide, or over the cross bar, or not quite put enough pace on it so a defender can track back and clear it off the line. Sure, both of the aforementioned gentlemen have also converted chances as well, but it always seems to me that chip shots are more likely to come close, and fail, then convert as Emilio did.
3. Midfield Dominance: Brian Carroll, Ben Olsen, and Fred did a lot to maintain possession in this game, and to provide enough space for Gomez to distribute the ball. The plays were smart, simple, and creativity was delivered when it was necessary. United patience in this match was smothering, and beautiful to watch.
4. Fred in Close Quarters: Really, with two defenders around him, Fred turned on the "Australian Eel" powers and would slip passes, or sometimes his entire body, through close quarters and find someone in space. Very pretty to watch him school the Chicago midfield.
5. Tim Weyland: Few complaints. Yes, there were some penalties that could have been called, but I don't think anyone expected them to be. Would I have liked to have seen a few more cards? Probably, but that's borderline. He was acceptable as a center ref. To some degree, I think CJ Brown being made Chicago's captain made his life easier, since Brown suddenly had to be an onfield leader and couldn't spend most of his time being a pest to try and draw a yellow.
   
6. Moose, Supersub: His vision and pace we saw last week, but this week he complemented both of those by showing he might even have a canon for a foot. If he keeps playing like this when he enters the game late, he will do for this team what Jamil Walker was always supposed to do.
   

The Bad

1. Fred in Space: The odd moments for Fred where when he found himself with space or only one defender. He refused to take a defender on until about the 80th minute. His passes were acceptable, but not scintillating. I just wanted a little more from him when fate conspired to give him an opportunity.
2. Chicago's Starting XI: This isn't a knock against those players, but they were clearly rushed into starting positions without form or even fitness, given how many were dropping off at the end of the game. We all know that this isn't the best Chicago could offer, but what they did offer was decidedly below average.
3. Behind the Play: In the first hour specifically, there was a lot of chippy play and cheap shots from both sides. Saw Ben Olsen get clobbered with an elbow to the skull. Saw Gros clobber a Fire player with the back of his hand. All while the ball was on the far side of the field. Not sure what was causing that, but it seemed in the final half hour everyone was too tired to continue it.
4. The one mistake: As with Angel's goal for New York last week, United allowed a team to pull one back late. A complete meltdown, from what I saw, as everyone on United had the wrong momentum and allowed an otherwise impotent Chicago attack a chance in on goal.
5. Nicholas Adderly: Tremendous potential, but he was caught in some strange positions at times, and I never felt like he was making the runs or checking back the way the team expected. Not really, really bad, but mildly bad.
   
6. Dyachenko: I pretty much agree with everyone that says it didn't really work for most of this game with Rod, but that was just this game. I didn't see anything that said it wouldn't work in the future. First team minutes are the best education, so this game helps Rod as a learning experience. It might be great in the future.
   

Man of the Match

Well, I'm going to give it to Devon McTavish. Was he the best defender out there? No, but I think the most was being asked of Devon. Rod got gifted a goal early, which took all pressure off of him for the rest of the game, but Devon was being asked to audition for a role in a defense that might be lacking two players come Copa America, and it was an audition I think he passed. Certificates of Merit to Olsen, Gomez, Namoff, and definitely Emilio.

Karma Bank

Gifted one or two goals means we should be burning two karma, but the otherwise complete dominance of play had to earn us one. So, all in all, I'd say we burn one karma for Pickens grabbing the ball and then dropping it neatly at Rod's feet. -1 for the game, leaving us +1 for the season.

Final Thoughts

I caught this game on the quiet side with my wife, which is just a pleasant way of spending an evening. Think of it like brewing a pot of tea and doing a crossword on the porch, only instead you're being serenaded by hundreds of fanaticos and watching Ben Olsen yap at anyone who will listen to him. The sounds of summer, pleasant and wistful. Lovely evening.

Defensive depth is an issue we are not done with. Remember that we may not lose one defender to Copa America, but two (Namoff and Boswell), which is kind of odd given how we only have one clean sheet the entire year. Still, McTavish was reassuring, and Gros is starting to come on well as a left back. Erpen got burned on that goal, yes, but he should have had more help, so I'm not even that mad at him. We did what we should do. We also did what we need to do next week: Get an early goal, and kill off RSL. Exact same game plan, although Eskandarian is still, even with the help he has, scarier than Barrett was for Chicago. Also, Rimando can keep a team in a game, or he can commit a strange error and give on up easy. That's the big wildcard for me.
Do I feel good about this season yet? Yeah, for the first time I do. We have now, in back to back games, beaten a good team and a not-so-good team. That's both ends of the spectrum, and I like seeing them together like that. You need to do both, and DC did. Feels good.

Well, Let's Test That Defensive Depth Theory, Shall We?

ERPEN OUT, MCTAVISH IN: John Haydon in the Times reports that Devon McTavish is likely to get the nod over Facundo Erpen for the right back position in the game against Columbus. Now, long-time readers will know defensive depth has been a worry of ours since the off-season (especially after the trade of Prideaux). And just as long as we've been worried about it, DC management has insisted they felt things were fine. Admittedly, McTavish wasn't on our radar at all as a depth option, but it is an interesting move. He's shown decently in his appearances this year, but being a full time outside back is a different situation than shifting into it later in the game. This will be the first test of the management contention that they have enough defense on the bench. That makes for close observation in terms of season long significance.

WE PAY FOR OUR TEAM: I understand what Anthony Francavilla's writing about in The Georgetown Voice, but at the same time I can't stand the idea of buying tickets based on the personnel of another team. It's like the pre-playoff Wizards always advertising games based on when Shaq came to town, or the Caps telling us we had to come out to see Messier or Lindros or something. If I want to see international quality, I don't need to wait for a team with a Designated Player signing, I can see Bolivian International Jamie Moreno, Argentinian Christian Gomez, Jamaican Stephen DeRoux, and Brazilian Luciano Emilio at any game I choose. The only time I will pay just to see someone from another team is when Real Salt Lake shows up, just so I can see if Ellinger cries after he gets fired.

ADU - "I BOUGHT INTO MY OWN HYPE": Huh. Interesting.