Preview 2: W2W4

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

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

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

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

Also, Danny Szetela.

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

Preview: DC United v Colorado Rapids

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

huh?

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

Also, Facundo Erpen.

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

What Chris Webb Gets Right, and Wrong, About the Vanney-Erpen Trade

Chris Webb has a provocative article about the Vanney-Erpen deal over at UnitedMania. Go ahead and read the article in full, because it is good reading. However, as always, we reserve the right to dissent, at least in part. Now, this is the kind of in-depth argument that only fans care about, so let's get at it. Webb argues that the day of the Vanney deal was the day "D.C. United moved into the upper echelon of MLS." But is that true?

I don't think so. As we argued previously, the Vanney deal was more problematic for DC to begin with. There's a clear correlation between Vanney arriving, and a mid-season string of mediocre results (yes, correlation is not causation, but it should at least raise your eyebrows). Specifically, one game after Vanney arrives and the United defense, whose recent form had been below their season average, suddenly spikes above the season-to-date averages. At the time, we argued that this was evidence that Boswell/Vanney did not work well, and that the true spark to the defense was Marc Burch. Webb attributes Burch's maturity at least partially to Vanney:

However, probably the biggest benefactor of the trade has been Marc Burch who has more than exceeded expectations on the left side of defense...Burch has not only defended well but his already prolific offensive moves has added a new dimension to a United attack that now can attack from every position on the field. United has undergone a tactical and philisophical change since Burch has come into the lineup. They actually use his fantastic left foot to their advantage.

Yet let's not forget that Vanney, when initially acquired, was blocking Burch. To refresh your memory, the back four against Colorado was Gros-Erpen-Simms-McTavish. The first game Vanney plays, and the backline is Vanney-McTavish-Simms-Gros. Against Houston, the line-up is similar: Vanney-Boswell-McTavish-Gros. In the crucial road-win against New England, we finally see the backline that powers the unbeaten streak: Burch-McTavish-Boswell-Namoff. Burch, if anything, was not helped by Vanney's arrival, but hindered. Vanney was blocking Burch at the left back position.

Now, I agree that one major benefactor was Josh Gros, who was servicable at best as an outside back, but is more effective in midfield. Webb has that absolutely right. But the day United became a contender wasn't the day they traded for Greg Vanney, it was the day that they realized that the job they acquired Vanney for was one that was better filled by Burch. Once Vanney was put in the center of defense, his speed became a bit less of a liability, and his experience and ability to organize a defense was better utilized. If you're looking for a turning point (and certainly with a season with 5 remaining games, plus the playoffs, it's possible more turning points will emerge) then that's a more persuasive turning point. Is the Vanney-Erpen deal a good one? Yes, for many of the other reasons Webb enumerates (freeing us from an SI logjam with Erpen next year becomes a large one). But the deal itself wasn't the contributing factor, it was the ability to adapt Vanney's usage to his abilities, and that meant moving him out of left back.

Erpen for Vanney: Okay, Maybe.

Let's start with the basic disclaimer. I distrust any trade that may approach any move I've made in Championship Manager. And yes, I signed Greg Vanney for the 2006 season. So this move has one immediate demerit against it.

That being said, my initial reaction of "This is stupid" is probably overstating the case. Why? It seems clear that Erpen didn't have a future at DC as a Senior International. So if you can get something for him, rather than getting nothing for him, that's probably a good thing.

Is Greg Vanney an upgrade? I think so. He certainly brings experience and leadership to the team, and he might be able to understand Tom Soehn (himself a defender) quicker, and therefore be able to translate Soehn's desires to reality on the field faster. United certainly needs people who can figure out what needs to be done defensively, and Vanney brings that.

My major problem with this trade is that it doesn't address the big issue I've had with this team... say it with me now: Depth. Yes, Erpen for Vanney may be an upgrade, but it doesn't make us any deeper at the position. Last night we saw a backline that featured a converted wing player (Gros), central midfielder (Simms) and the inexperienced Devon McTavish. Erpen was the only regular starter we had, and that doesn't change with the arrival of Greg Vanney.

So can this move make sense? Goff speculates it's part of a MLS Cup run. Okay, maybe. I'll offer this though: I imagine United thinks they have potential transfer targets from South America defensively, they know who they are, and one of them is probably on the younger side. If so, this move can make a great deal of sense. Of course, that's pie in the sky speculation...

UPDATE: Offside: DCU pretty much says the same thing, and said it before me.

UPDATE 2: Independently, The 3Ps are also pretty much on the "Explain this by doing something else" line of reasoning. That now makes it the conventional wisdom.

UPDATE 3: Okay, the pieces are starting to fill in, and they match what everyone was pretty much guessing at. There are other options. They seem to be defensive in nature.

Debriefing for Match 12.12: Colorado Rapids

D.C. United 4 : 1 Colorado Rapids

Six Word Novel Recap

"Jesus Loves You." We love Christian.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

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

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

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

Photo Sets: Off Wing Opinion, Kate McGovern

ALSO (As noted):

The Good

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

The Bad

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

Man of the Match

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

Karma Bank

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

Debriefing for Match 12.09: New York Red Bulls

DC United 4 : 2 New York Red Bulls

Six Word Novel Recap

Olsen's triplets destroy New York's minutes.

Media, Traditional and Otherwise

The Washington Post, Steve Goff: "With a lunging header early, a clever finish in the middle of the second half and a breathtaking half-volley late, D.C. United's veteran midfielder recorded his first career hat trick and led his club to a 4-2 victory over the MLS-leading New York Red Bulls before 18,066 at RFK Stadium yesterday."
The Washington Times, John Haydon: "Amazingly, two of Olsen's goals came when United was a man down after defender Bobby Boswell was red-carded in the 60th minute."
The HeraldNews, Ives Galarcep: "The loss was the latest for the Red Bulls at RFK Stadium, which has been a house of horrors for the club since its inception as the MetroStars. They are now 1-4-1 in their past six regular season matches at RFK Stadium."
MLSNet, Charles Boehm: "While Olsen's achievement made him the center of attention in an upbeat United locker room, one of the biggest smiles belonged to Fred, who sparked D.C.'s second-half dominance with a series of aggressive runs that discomfited the Red Bulls defense and set up Luciano Emilio for the 49th-minute goal that gave the home side a lead they would not relinquish."
MLSNet, Jordan Brown: "To a man, though, the Red Bulls weren't making excuses for the loss. They were outplayed by a streaking United squad, and look forward to going home, recovering from their extensive traveling over the past eight days, and exacting a little revenge next week as the Kansas City Wizards visit Giants Stadium for a rematch of last week's 3-2 loss."
Ben Olsen's Beard: "Boz's sending-off was a bit of a catalyst for the domination that ensued in the closing minutes, despite of course the J.P.A. goal that happened while everyone was trying to get their heads around 'Ben Olsen just scored a hat trick.' Well, not us. Ben Olsen scores routine hat tricks on FIFA 07 for us, so it's not a big shock."
The Edgell Supporters: "The most notable statistic of the game is that every one of the four goals were double assisted. That's teamwork. That's an organized attack. " [Note: I disagree here, but it's an interesting argument. I'd say the fact that all goals came in the run of play was more important.]
Poplar Point Perspective: "Giving up the quick goal was unfortunate and when paired with the goal they gave up after saving the penalty a few games ago, leads me to think that they need to keep their concentration immediately after big events during the game."
An American's View...: "Our defense stepped up and contained one of the most dangerous strikers in the league and only allowed him to score once the result was no longer in doubt. Troy had another stellar match in goal. Gomez and Moreno played great, especially when we were down to 10 men."
QuarterVolley, I-66: "Brian Hall turned in one of the worst refereeing performances I’ve ever seen, and that was before he sent off Bobby Boswell before the hour mark with his 2nd yellow card."
BlackDogRed: "...that's why I dress in black and scream myself hoarse every opportunity I get (and wear Benny's shirt!!!)"
Soccer Insider, Steve Goff: "United played with width, found an attacking rhythm and maintained its intensity. Fred overcame a weak first half and inspired the second-half uprising. Emilio was a consistent threat and Erpen did a solid job on Angel, who missed an early sitter and was never really a factor."
Soccer By Ives, Ives Galarcep: "The game was ugly, at least for the Red Bulls, most of which looked like they were wearing lead uniforms considering how sluggish they looked..."
NOTE: The Kin of Fish gets a pass on what I'm going to say next (because Mr. Fish has a lot on his plate, like a full family, which I understand), but most RBNY fan blogs (see over there on the right) that I know are silent as of 10:30 AM. C'mon kids, you think I like writing posts after losing to Columbus? No, I don't, but you're team is good enough this year to deserve your support even after a loss like this.
UPDATED LINKS:
DCist, "In previous years, this would not be any more than standard procedure for the boys in black, who had compiled a 24-15-5 record against their Atlantic Cup rivals."
SE Podcast: "Olsen was in the middle of his injury problems and nobody was sure if he was going to be ever play again, no less return to who he was before the injuries..."

UPDATE!!! ALSO: DCist, SE Podcast, Photos from Information Leafblower (Sorry DCist, you keep getting filtered where I am. Thanks to Kyle for sending in the link to their article.)

The Good

1. Fred: We've been talking about Fred's slow emergence over the last few weeks, and yesterday it seems like it moved to the next level. From playing balls in from the wing, taking defenders on and making space, and even tracking back to snuff out attacks and start a counter, Fred was excellent. I'm in the minority on the issue of his jersey, since I wanted him to have to "earn" Fred, but this game would have been the first one to put down on that application.
   
2. Team Efforts: The workrate was there in LA, as we noted last week, but it truly paid off today. Moreno was not dangerous on the attack, but he was excellent at the transition from defense to counter, and worked like hell even tracking back to his own defensive corner. Gomez also deserves credit for seeing the field probably the best he has this year and involving players.
   
3. Moose: Quick update here. Justin Moose was excellent as a late sub to stretch the field on the counter. He used his speed excellently, and would penetrate far into the Red Bull defense before pulling the ball back and getting numbers, allowing United to chew up time with possession. He knew when to take the ball to the net, and when to pull back. Smart tactics that made handling the red card to Boswell easier, and he deserves notice for it.
   
4. Defensive Adjustment: Since the Toronto match, Erpen had changed. We noted it in that game, gave him a certificate of merit against LA, but yesterday was one of his toughest matches to date. What I liked about him in this game was how he adjusted to Boswell's ejection. He played smart, stayed at home, marked his man and was content to let New York collect the ball if he could remain between the ball and the goal rather than make a risky play in stepping up to cut out a pass. It was not just his athletically best game, but his smartest game to date. Gros and Namoff (who helped open up the right wing for United to exploit) were also good.
5. Supporters, Near and Far: United's support was in good voice for this match, and it helped that the ESC remnants and other RBNY supporters had a good turnout. They do deserve some credit for staying with the match as long and as loud as they could. Good atmosphere from where I was standing in the Nest.
   
6. Luciano Emilio: Again, we noted that he had stepped up a bit against LA, but this match provided a lot to enjoy. He gets the goal, but he did so much more in terms of making runs to open space and dummying attacks to freeze defenders. Hmm.... Is there anything else we should be talking about?
7. Ben Olsen is a F'in God: Here's what Olsen did. Not only did he figure out quickly how to shred Seth Stammler to pieces, but rather than run around doing jumping jacks when the ball didn't come his way, he went back and communicated in a constructive matter. Sure, he yapped at the ref a bit (and reading RBNY fans complaining that Ben didn't get carded for dissent is hilarious... as if Brian Hall didn't give you enough...). The thing is, Ben has figured out pretty much where the line is, and how to yap at the ref. He walks that line. Sometimes I wish he wouldn't, but if that's how he needs to maintain his intensity, then go right ahead. Good god. Scaryice, please update the hattrick statistics, thanks. Oh, and to update here, best moment on Olsen's third goal was on Telefutura, as their color commentator corrected the play by play guy's inaccuracies... "Gol? No... Goalzo!" That seemed right.
   

The Bad

1. Boswell Cautionary Tales: I've reviewed the tape on this, and Boswell got in trouble with that first yellow, which he easily earned. There were ways of taking that foul and not picking up the early caution. The second was debatable, but after watching the replay it seems like a call that could have gone either way, and Hall's decision wasn't as bad as it may have seemed. Still...
   
2. Brian Hall: After rewatching the match, some of the fouls that I thought were questionable were correct. Far more were just bad calls. Hall's performance wasn't as atrocious as I thought yesterday, but it was pretty far down on the putrid list. It seemed to me that there were different standards being applied, and that's not what you want to see.
3. Troy Perkins Fielding: Is Troy not quite catching things as cleanly as he usually does when he patrols the box? Too often the ball seems to bounce down from his hands, and he needs to catch it on the rebound. We didn't get burned in this game, but it's something I'm starting to notice.
4. Overreading the importance of this win: Sure, I want to as well, but my satisfaction is tempered slightly by knowing that New York was on their third game in eight days. Still, being down a man should have been enough to equalize that fact, and United outscoring New York 2-1 shorthanded makes me feel like you can't write this all off to New York being tired.
   

Man of the Match

Really? Is there a question? No. Ben Olsen is your man of the Match, with certificates of Merit to Erpen, Namoff, Fred, Emilio, and Moreno.

Karma Bank

Nice play, team effort earns United one karma, and Brian Hall's attempts to job the team get us another. We're up two for this game, and +2 on the season as a whole now.

Final Thoughts

I never understood the idea that beating one opponent was more important than winning a season. Made no sense. Intellectually I might understand Celtic-Rangers, Spurs-Arsenal, or NC-NC State, but I never felt it in my bones. However, the resurgence of New York this season may have changed it a bit. I wanted this game, and if having this game meant the three early losses to start the season then so be it. Would I prefer beating New York to having a championship? No. But goddamn that Atlantic Cup actually feels like something other than a spare paperweight to be passed around the DC United front office. I wanted to see a win this game, and a convincing win. And United came through. They came through in a way that delighted, that inspired, that sent me home in a cloud of euphoria. I know that this wasn't New York at its best this season, but while the game was on I didn't care. This was the best I've felt at a United game this year. I long for this feeling again, it is addictive. And the idea that it might not happen does not bode well. We are junkies now, you and I, and my hands will tremble until I get my next fix. Please let it come soon.

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.

My problem with Facundo Erpen

Impressions linger long after they should fade away. The first memorable moment I have of Facundo Erpen was his ridiculous fake dive he executed against New England. It sort of soured me on him early, but some excellent tackles and solid defense in the 2005-2006 seasons steadied the nerves. He can defend. He has decent speed. He typically executed high risk maneuvers very well. Yet there were still troublesome signs. There was the traditional Facundo Erpen Blunder, one free with every game. There were also problems with his composure, something I was reminded of recently watching Lunch with D.C. United.

All of this wouldn't matter a whit if I felt that Facundo was evolving as a player. And yet... Yet I can't feel like that case can be made. I expect players to consistently evolve and get better. They may not gain athletic ability, or see some decline in their raw physical skills, but you expect them to be smarter, wiser, and more clever as they gain experience.

Consider the difference between 2005 Bobby Boswell and 2006 Bobby Boswell. Consider the difference between even 2004 Jamie Moreno and Christian Gomez and 2006 Jamie Moreno and Christian Gomez. They progress, they change, they don't play the same way they did year after year. My problem is Facundo Erpen is that after his original adjustment period, I don't feel like he's progressed. Maybe some of that is positioning on the Left Back-Right Back switch that occurred. But I don't feel like it. The last new thing Facundo Erpen showed me was that shot from distance he took against New York last year. Other than that, it's been same-old, same-old. He doesn't seem to have gotten wiser, or played smarter. I can accept that all players go through slumps. That's fine. But what I want to see from Facu is some sense that he's learning all the time. I don't see it. Do you?