DC came out and dominated the first half, scored their goal, and went into halftime with a lead.

They came back out a different team, and were hurt by a mistake by backup keeper, Josh Wicks. Sloppy passing, poor shot selection, and questionable decisions by DC players led to the draw and to the feeling of disappointment that was evident in the crowd at RFK.

Speaking of the crowd, it as a little sparse. The loud side was taking care of business and standing for 90, but the quiet side was dead, and not very populated. Disappointing for a home opener. Do better next week, people.

Bryan Namoff. What were you doing? I counted at least 4 or 5 times where Namoff carried the ball way up into the attack and was caught in possession. I apologize to Bryan if Tommy was asking him to do that, but if not…c’mon.

Benny was fantastic, and the little episode with Blanco which isn’t being talked about anywhere was awesome. Basically, Blanco ran into Ben, and Ben pushed him off. Blanco then faked jab stepped around him (which made no sense), and then Ben shoulder charged him. He was already on a yellow, so I thought that was his Zidane-esque moment of madness, but the referee yelled at Blanco to stop diving. Hilarious.

I tried to twitter updates, but I can tell you right now, that isn’t going to happen. Sorry. Follow the DCUnited twitter updates, they get paid to not watch the game.

Thoughts?

Do we, A) eek into the playoffs, lose early, lose late, or somehow win with a $300k ball chained to our collective ankle or B) lose, or be eliminated by two victories by NY and KC, and make real changes that need to be made in order for this team to compete in all competitions next year?

There is of course the middle ground I’m neglecting to mention here, that we do well in the playoffs, and still make some changes for next year. But, in my sports watching experience, I’ve come to notice that when a team makes the playoffs and reaps the financial benefits of those extra games, they are less likely to address the real, and sometimes costly decisions that need to be made. In my mind, I’m hoping for a merciful end to this injury plagued “season” and for a number of changes to be made this offseason. What changes? Funny you should ask…

1) Fire Tom Soehn.
Injuries happen, that’s fine. Not his fault. But on numerous occasions, the team quit on him. Other times, he showed unwillingness to alter strategy either out of fear of catastrophe or maybe he didn’t know what else to do. He was short handed much of the season, so I could be convinced that he can get a 4 game stretch at the beginning of next season to show his stuff, but I’d like a successor ready to assume the role should shit hit fan yet again.
2) Pawn our $300k gold plated ankle weight.
Again, injuries. I’ve heard the arguments. But guess what? He’s old, he’s injury prone, and he’s not getting any cheaper or more impervious to injury. Some might argue that Benny is in a similar situation, but he’s much cheaper. His departure leaves a hole in the team that only can be solved by…
3) Bring back Christian Gomez.
He’s riding the pine pony in Colorado. I’m going to bet he didn’t forget how to play immediately. Think he’d rather play for less money, or waste away the last years of his prime on a crap team in a city where people don’t care about soccer? I think it can be done.
4) Spend some money/time, and make smart draft picks.
Maybe we need to get rid of Dave Kasper and steal the FO’s of New England or Houston, but our draftees have been garbage. I’d buy it if it was only 1 year of poor choices, but we’re nearing Matt Millen-esque territory.
5) Blackmail the DC Council, or become drop the DC from United
The time for talk is over. In this next year, I want golden shovels in the dirt. I don’t care where that happens anymore.
6) Protect Santino in the Expansion draft.
At the conclusion of the season I’ll have a full rundown on this, but for now, Quaranta is too good of a bargain to let go. For his production, relative durability and overall inspirational qualities, Tino has proved his worth to the squad, and deserves the stability of a longer term deal. This guy was/maybe still is USMNT caliber, and we need to keep him.
7) Assess the goalkeeping situation
Louis Crayton is pretty good. Is he great? I don’t think so. Is he worth being the 2nd highest paid keeper? No. Show Wells the door or send him to the shrink and find out why he’s such a shrinking Daisy. I like him (in the minority there), and think he still has some value to the team. Loan out Thorpe to a USL side.
Make a decision on the flying Gonzalos.
The juries out here, but Martinez has been the more stable and dependable Gonzalo, so I’d bet he’d stay. Peralta (who I ran into at Kettler Iceplex) showed some mental lapses over the season and was injury prone. I’d give him some time, but I wouldn’t pencil him in as THE CB.
9) The Emilio conundrum
Ready for this? Here’s my solution to this. Sign Emilio to a 1 year contact at the DP level, wait for him to hit one of his streaks, hopefully while we’re playing a Mexican side in CONCACAF, and sell him. This is contingent on our ability to have a replacement ready (can you say, Shevchenko?), but he’s entirely too hot and cold to depend on anymore.
10) The ageless wonder
Sign Moreno to another year. Unless we can clone El Diablo, Moreno IS DC United’s offense, and as long as he can walk, hold the ball up, and pass it, he’s on this team. If you can give him unlimited free headbands instead of money, that’d be excellent, but I’m not holding my breath.

Well there ya go. Either way this week plays out, DC has work to do. I’ll be watching, and cheering, with my heart fighting my brain.

Again, Matt Reis will not be playing, but NE looks to have more of its attacking options with them, including Taylor Twellman (who appears to have been barred from USMNT matches), Pat Noonan, Kheli Dube and Nyassi. Certainly more firepower than United faced last week at RFK.

Go to Behind the Badge for all your prematch reading. Lots of good stuff in there about tonight’s keeper for DC, Louis Crayton. Let’s hope he fairs better on his first astroturf experience than did our old friend, Jose Carvallo.

Predictions: Last away match at Chicago was the very definition of a squeaker, and I haven’t been totally blown away by our defense this year. I have a feeling we fail to get our points tonight, and lose to the eventual Eastern Conference Champion 3-1 (goal by Moreno). I hope I’m wrong. What do you think?

Sidenote: As some of you might now, I’m a huge Chelsea fan. One of my boys was Andriy Shevchenko, who appears to be on his way out of town to AC Milan. I had just bought an away kit with his name on the back. I haven’t even gotten it yet. Today is a sad day.

But when asked about the big-game atmosphere surrounding tomorrow’s match, he said through an interpreter: “It is weird, actually, that the game is getting so much attention, because where I am from, every game is like this. But it’s good that a game like this is getting all this attention. It’s good for the sport of soccer.”

Fair enough, Marcello. But as much as I wish that we had the soccer enthusiasm of Argentina, I’ll take what excitement I can get. After the jump, a preview for the most important and anticipated game of the MLS season.

Tomorrow at Noon, under the hot sun, and in typically DC humidity, the two most famous MLS sides will meet, with both clubs firing on all cylinders (unless one of the cylinders is Defense). The highest scoring side in MLS (Galaxy) vs the hottest team in MLS (DC). I cannot wait.

Notes: Franco Niell is gone, on his way home by now I’d imagine. I hope he lands on his feet in a league where the average height of defenders is 5′ 3″. Francis Doe should be back in DC by today, and practicing with the team. I’ve never been very excited about him, but he’s a warm body and he’s fast.
DC has been linked with Dagoberto Alexis Currimilla Gomez, a 20 year old Chilean defender who plays on the under-20 Chilean National Team. This is a good move, but I still see three moves the FO also needs to make. They are as follows:
1. A reserve forward that can score goals OR a winger to take the place of Santino, allowing him to be a more attacking player.
2. A goalkeeper. This is self explanatory.
3. A stronger bench. I don’t care how you do it, but I’m not impressed with Dyachenko or Mediate. Find quality young players who want to play for McDonald’s dollars.

Predictions: As everyone thinks that this game is going to be a blow out, I’d probably agree. I think the heat may play a factor though, and limit the excitement a little. Final score, DCU 3, LA 2. What do you think?

HOLD THE PHONE. According to Goff, Ben Olsen has been upgraded from Out to Doubtful, and there’s a strong possibility that he will be on the 18 man roster for tomorrow or Tuesday’s game. Wow. Go to Soccer Insider and read about it.

Meet your new forward, Francis Doe. He comes by way of New York, and has 2 goals in 8 career games. For those keeping score, that’s exactly two more than my boy Guy Kpene has scored, ever. I’m told that Doe has got some jets, which we are sorely in need of, since no one will mistake Emilio or Moreno as Olympic sprinters.

And now for the funny article.

This recap came to me by way of Google Alerts, and boy am I glad it did.

Here’s the link from “Merinews”. Here are some excerpts you are sure to enjoy…

On April 17, 2008, with 13,329 spectators in Washington’s JFK stadium, DC United played its MLS game against Columbus crew. The game was transmitted live on ESPN, with Perralta destroying chances of any victory to his own team.

THE FIRST half started with both teams measuring their forces and struggling for possession of the game. DC United was just simply playing with the ball while Columbus Crew was trying to score.

Columbus Crew received a setback when Carroll received a booking (yellow card) for anti-professional behaviour (reckless foul) on the field at 29 minutes into the game.

Regardless, DC United wanted to prove to the spectators of the Robert F Kennedy (RFK) stadium (Ed Note: They got it right the second time, that counts for something) that they were made of steel, and scored an equaliser at 42 minutes. Brian Namoff did the equaliser with the assistance of Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno. Unfortunately, DC United was unable to focus on the game and their house of steel melted with an own goal by Gonzalo Perralta giving the Columbus Crew an advantage in the field.

DC United was pathetic in this game. In addition to the own goal by Gonzalo Perralta, the team itself was not performing to the standards of a football [soccer] team. DC United did not have the discipline and tenacity to continue playing after the shock of the own goal. DC United has to see DVDs of this game and check, where improvements can be made.

I think Goff can just let these guys write the gamers from now on.

Also in that same link, Moreno’s health was discussed and it was stated that he’s doing better than he thought he would do. I’d start Niell, and have Moreno on the bench in a just in case scenario.

Also, there’s this little matter of not having a lease with your home stadium. Minor detail. This guy has the links for you district folks to be all politically active and what not.