Moreno is good at holding the ball just outside of the box, and taking PKs. That’s all we can count on from him anymore. Is that really worth the big salary? I’m not sure. Note that this is the first time in 13 years I’ve ever said anything negative whatsoever about Jaime. Also note that he was one of the better players on the field last night. I’m just looking at clearing out some money for the offseason. Yes, that’s where I am right now.

Speaking of which, if we cut Niell now do we still have to keep paying him? I like his speed, and I could see where if he and Gallardo developed some sort of magic chemistry that he could be at least a threat to score. Right now though, he’s too short for the long balls we keep sending his way, and he falls down with a frequency I’ve not seen since Jason Moore.

Quaranta’s weakness was always on the defensive side of the ball. That’s fine, when we get rid of Niell we can certainly use a $35K backup forward who actually CAN score. His offense and his heart are worth keeping. He is not, however, a wing player.

Speaking of which, I heard all this talk about how DC had improved the spine of the team, and how much the experts liked the moves. What about the width? Olsen’s injury has made it painfully clear how weak and thin we are on the outsides. If we have any illusions about playing a 3-5-2, they should only appear once we actually have at least two wing players. Burch is not Josh Gros. We can’t just plug him in anywhere and expect him to fill the gaps. He is a Left Back only, though a decent one with a good attitude.

I think we all, management and fans alike, were spoiled by Ben Olsen. We knew he was special, that he had some intrinsic value beyond his accomplishments on the field. That he would someday be out of the lineup was inconceivable. He is now. He may not return. Now we have no width. We stand around just outside of the box and make the same runs over and over again, hoping to crack a packed defense. Not working.

I’m not going to tackle the defense right now. That’s a whole other ball of wax. Very true that we need to improve there, but it’s not like we’re hemmoraging goals. I don’t want to give up two a game either, but the bigger problem is our own lack of scoring. One thing at a time people.

Emilio, it’s like you sold your soul to the devil last season and he’s collecting this year. What happened man? Come back to us. Tell Vincent and Jules to get that briefcase over to RFK, and fast. To hell with Marsellus Wallace.

We need two wingers, one for either side. We need the ability to cross the ball. Until we have these positions filled, we will continue to be painfully predictable.

The summer window approaches, and I fully expect Kevin Payne to get after it. In the words of MAJOR Payne, “Boy, I am two seconds from being on you like white on rice in a glass of milk on a paper plate in a snowstorm. I’m gonna put my foot so far up your ass, the water on my knee will quench your thirst.”

Now I’m off to find something completely divorced from soccer to laugh at.