Game 19 - DC United 2:0 Columbus Crew

I said United needed at least five points out of the twelve available in the four road games coming up in the next few weeks. United did an excellent job of getting the first goal, keeping possession, and finally scoring the second goal to seal the game. DC's talent advantage was apparent all game and overwhelming in the second half. Fred had possibly his best game in the Black and Red. Gomez looked better than he has in a month. The defense pitched another shutout, held the Crew without a shot on goal in the first forty-five minutes, and Burch was dominant on the left side. With Boswell and Olsen getting a rare healthy scratch, this bodes well for the many games coming up in the next few weeks.

The Good:

• A second goal to go up 2-0. First in New England and now in Columbus, maybe United is figuring out this road thing.
• Emilio notches another with a heady play on our old friend Ezra.
• Fred scores from distance after Gomez hits the post. It seems like a rare play to have a ball go off the post and still score in the run of play. Fred's shot was absolutely crushed.
• Simms returns to the starting lineup, this better not change.

The Bad:

• Vanney still looks a bit shaky, but not a bad game from him.
• A weak offensive effort in the first half.
• Gros suffers another concussion. He may have to sit for a while.

Grades

Forwards (Emilio and Moreno) A-

Emilio scores his 14th goal and Moreno plays 86 minutes. Luciano did lots of running to seal the game.

Midfielders (Gomez, Fred, Simms, and Gros) A-

Best game from this group in a while. Excellent possession in the second half. Gomez hits the post and Fred cleans it up. Fred then slots a great pass that Emilio put 5-hole for the second goal. Simms played a great game. The lone dark spot was Gros leaving early.

Defenders (Burch, Namoff, McTavish, Vanney and Perkins) A

Another shutout, another 'A'. Spectacular game from this group. Controlled the air, intercepted crosses before they got to the middle, and Perkins was decisive and agressive.

Substitutes (Mediate, Carroll, and Dyachenko) B

Mediate did very well subbing in for Gros in the 9th minute. Carroll and Dyachenko didn't make an impression in limited minutes.

Preview of Game 19 - DC United at Columbus Crew

DC United, 9-3-6 (W-D-L), head to Columbus for an MLS matchup with the Crew. United lost to the Galaxy in the semifinals of the SuperLiga on Wednesday in LA. However, in MLS play United is on a near-month long winning streak! (OK, it's only two games, but still, it sounds good.) United is looking to build on their last road game, a 3-0 pasting of New England. For the season, United is 3-1-5 (W-D-L) on the road with an even goal differential. United (1.67 PPG) is in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference, six points behind New England (1.71 PPG) with three games in hand. United is in 3rd place in the Supporter Shield race, led by New England and FC Dallas (1.80 PPG). United has two games in hand over Houston.

The Crew, 6-8-6 (W-D-L), are 1-1-1 in their last three games including last week's 3-2 loss to FC Dallas. Columbus are a very good home team with a 5-4-1 record and a +6 goal differential. They are in 5th place in the Eastern Conference (1.30 PPG), ten points behind New England with one game in hand, and in 8th place in the Supporter's Shield race.

United lost to the Crew back in April, 1-0. United should be completely healthy with no one out due to cards. Hopefully the coaching staff saw what the rest of us saw and Simms will return to the starting lineup. I expect the starting eleven to be Emilio, Moreno, Gomez, Fred, Olsen, Simms, Namoff, Burch, McTavish, Boswell, and Perkins a 4-4-2 formation. Carroll, Gros, Kpene and Moose all could get in during the second half. This begins the toughest stretch of the season remaining. United has four of the next five on the road. If they can pull more than five points out of those four road games, United has a real shot at the Supporter's Shield.

Prediction:

DC United 1:0 Columbus Crew

SuperLiga Semifinal

Let's try a running diary for this game which seems all the rage on the Internet these days...

I hate the starting eleven. Vanney and Carroll in the midfield will seriously slow down the attack.

Hard tackle by Beckham on Moreno. No ill intent. Yellow for Beckham was deserved.

Moreno almost beat Cannon from midfield. If the shot was in a corner rather than the middle, it would have gone in. That's an Etcheverry move.

Carroll is giving the ball away constantly, as per usual.

Hard tackle by Olsen on Beckham. Poking the ball first saved Benny from a yellow of his own.

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Beckham's free kick was beautiful. It's much harder to stop it when you step the wrong way, Troy. Were you guessing?

Moreno is shoved off the ball in the box, that should have been a penalty.

Beckham is playing much better tonight than last Thursday. He is moving well and seeing the field. Not good for United.

36th minute. Carroll just kicked it into a Galaxy player's back from 6 yards away. He never looked up. Dreadful.

McTavish got away with a take down in the box. Also should have been a penalty.

Moreno came up hobbling after getting legs tangled. Eek.

Halftime: Gomez and Simms better be on the field at the start of the second half.

The first half was end to end action with lots of long passes and near misses. What was noticeably missing was any kind of possession. The midfield is not playing up to snuff.

Beckham is still playing at the start of the second 45. Good for MLS, bad for United.

Gomez is on for Vanney. No sign of Simms. Carrol wasn't traded at halftime for a bag of balls either.

Beckham sets up Donovan for a breakaway goal. Gros completely crapped the bed on that one slowing down and missing the ball while Landon ran past him. Then McTavish deflects it around Perkins who was in good position. A tough prospect just got tougher.

Emilio narrowly misses a goal. Nice reflex save from Cannon.

Cannon is on fire. He stops Emilio again point blank.

Audio problems are still annoying when they are speaking Spanish and you can't understand 90% of what they say.

Telefutura has resorted to showing every good looking Hispanic woman in the stands. Not a complaint, more of an observation.

This portion of the blog brought to you by State Farm.

Beckham just hit Donovan again wide open running down the wing. That's four times and one goal.

Free kick for LA. Beautiful save from Perkins on another bending ball from Becks.

More pretty women in the stands.

Carroll had his best play of the game so far chopping Martino down at midfield. He's running to the sideline. Could he be coming off? No, just instructions from the coach. An excerpt:

Sohen: You know all the stuff you've been doing so far tonight?

Carroll: Yeah?

Sohen: Quit it.

Looks like Kpene is next to come on. You know who I want him to come on for.

Emilio taken down inches outside the box. Really close to a penalty.

Beckham comes off after playing 62 minutes. He played a great game. Let's see if United can get things going now.

Galaxy just missed the third goal.

Wow, Kpene in for Boswell. He would have been tenth on my list of players to come off, right before Perkins. Moreno back to midfield it looks like and down to three defenders with Gros tracking back a lot and Namoff moving up.

Is it just me or can Fred only cross with his right? He just missed Emilio with a beautiful one, but to put it on his right foot from the left side, he needed to cut back and gave the defense time to adjust.

Twenty minutes to go. United needs a goal soon to have a chance.

Cobi Jones comes on for Martino. Didn't we have a moment of silence for the late Cobi at the game last Thursday?

Olsen has been surprisingly ineffective tonight.

Lots of crosses from the touchline going over everyone's head and out of bounds.

ATeleuturra wants us to vorte for the game MVP. I'm voting for D: Otro Jugador. I think he plays midfield for Galaxy.

Carroll just rocketed a shot from 35 yards away which Cannon pushed over the bar. He scored on one of those early last year. Coincidentally, his last good shot.

More women in the stands. This is great. I'm used to coach's wives or hot actresses dating/married to players. Random LA hotties is a nice change of pace. Well done Telefutura. Now please fix your sound issues and well get along just fine.

Gomez goes down in the box from a forearm in the back. Play on.

Xavier is an angry young man. Always with the yelling that guy.

Ten minutes to go. No pulse. Someone call 911!

Five minutes to go. Beginning CPR.

Four minuted to go. A Moose sighting!

Whistle.

Time of death, 11:59 PM.

DC United 0:2 LA Galaxy.

Preview of SuperLiga Game 4 - DC United @ LA Galaxy

DC United travels to Los Angeles for a semifinal match against David Beckham and the Galaxy. If it seems like we just watched this game, well we did last Thursday. United won 1-0 on an Emilio goal. In the meantime, LA went to New England and lost another game 1-0 with Becks not setting foot on the field. The word on the street is that the man from England will start this one, his first start in any game since joining MLS. So get a nap in if you are in the DC area as this one starts late, 10 PM Eastern.

Other than Moose, whose name hasn't surfaced since his surgery, and Burch, who is out due to yellow card accumulation, everyone should be available. That being the case, I expect the starting lineup to be Perkins, Boswell, McTavish, Vanney, Namoff, Fred, Olsen, Gomez, Simms, Emilio, and Moreno. Kpene, Gros, and Carroll should get time in the second half.

Prediction:

DC United 2:1 LA Galaxy

Two Months To Go - A Look Ahead

A very crowded schedule awaits DC United as they head into the final third of their regular season schedule. DC has put itself in fine position for a run to the playoffs, but the next four weeks may determine everything. While they have been dominating at home, on the road, DC is far from the same team. Their goal scoring (8 goals in 9 road games) and overall record of 3-1-5 (W-D-L), leave much to be desired and if they aren't able to correct the trend, the last month may be a drive to make the playoffs, not push for the Conference title or the Supporter's Shield, both of which are within reach. United has seven games in the next four weeks, six of which are MLS league games. Of those six games, four are road games. United will need to average 1.5 PPG in the road games and 2 PPG for the home games to keep pace with league leading New England and FC Dallas (1.80 PPG). Should they do that, DC will be at 51 points at the end of the regular season. New England and FC Dallas only need to average 1.5 points per game to reach 51 points. So the thought here is that it is a race to 54 points for the Supporter's Shield.

So looking ahead, here is how DC United gets the 24 points necessary by October 20th. Six games at home, six games on the road.

8/18 @Columbus W
8/22 NYRB W
8/25 @Toronto T
9/1 @ Dallas L
9/6 @ Chivas T
9/9 New England T
9/12 Real Salt Lake W
9/23 @ Chicago W
9/29 Toronto W
10/5 @ Kansas City L
10/13 Chicago W
10/20 Columbus W

So United needs to win seven and tie three out of twelve to get to 24 points. Looking at the schedule, it is possible, but not probable. United would need to really take advantage of the five out of seven at home to finish the season. Most likely United slips up a bit and loses three of the road games and one at home.

Since MLS went to the thirty game schedule, here are the point totals for the top three finishers. In 2006: 55, 52, and 48. In 2005: 64, 59, and 54. In 2004: 49, 49, and 43. In 2003: 53, 51, and 45.

My guess right now is United will finish with 50 points and in third place in the full table. From the three losses way back in April that started the season, that's a fine place to be heading into the playoffs.

Game 18 - DC United 1:0 LA Galaxy

There are three different story lines following this game.

DC United moves into second place in the Eastern Conference and remains a Juggernaut at home. As bad as United has been on the road this year, they have been that good at home. More than two and a half goald per game, only one loss on the year, and a ten game unbeaten streak in all competitions. So, this makes winning the Eastern Conference even more important. Home field advantage could mean everything come the playoffs.

United's red card luck continues. This makes three of four where United is up 1-0 and is the beneficiary of an opponent's red card. Two of three they have won the game 1-0 and one 1-1 tie. This will not continue. Combine this with DC's recent run of futility near the goal and it could go bad for United if they can't muster the second goal on a semi regular basis.

A spectacular night for soccer at RFK caused me to wonder what the night would have been like at a soccer specific stadium like the one proposed at Poplar Point. If instead of 30,000 extra seats, there were only 7,000 extra seats, the demand would have been enormous. This is what United needs to move to the next level in the local sports pecking order. If on a normal night, you couldn't get good seats by walking up to the stadium, more people would buy tickets in advance. If on a good night, the game might sell out, even more people would buy tickets in advance. If more than a few games sell out, more people will buy season tickets. None of that happens when there are 15,000-30,000 tickets available every night.

Grades:

Forwards (Emilio and Kpene) B-

Emilio nets a great goal but leaves a few on the field. Kpene looked better and dangerous.

Midfielders (Fred, Simms, Olsen, and Gros) B

Fred seemed a bit out of sorts in the first half sending passes with the wrong pace or just struck badly. He looked much better back on the wing with Olsen in the middle. Gros was very good, if not dangerous. With Burch in the back and Gros on the wing, United is better. Unfortunately for Josh, when Gomez is healthy, he is odd man out I think. Simms was consistent and defended well.

Defenders (Boswell, Namoff, McTavish, Brurch, and Perkins) A

Boswell was a beast marking Landon. Burch was great again and set up the lone goal with a very nice pass. Namoff and Mctavish I have no specific memories of, which for defenders is a good thing. Perkins was in complete control.

Substitutes (Moreno, Carroll, and Mediate) B

Moreno nearly had #109 and looked better than last week. Carroll and Mediate did nothing of note.

Game 18 Quick Comments

Now that was a fun and frustrating night. A spectacular crowd, which reminded me of the crowds that would arrive when Michael Jordan would arrive in town with the Bulls. They wanted their team to win, but wanted MJ to score 50. Well, another #23 arrived in town and his every move was watched with eyes and binoculars, recorded with cameras, and screamed at when he did something new (warm up, put on his jersey, take off his jersey).

Thank goodness Emilio put away one of his half dozen chances because he and the rest of United couldn't hit the net tonight. United deserved to win, but they were awful at finishing.

Full recap tomorrow...

Preview of Game 18 - DC United vs LA Galaxy

DC United, 8-3-6 (W-D-L), come home for a Thursday night game against LA on national television. The big question is: Will David Beckham Play? The answer is probably not, and he probably shouldn't. I will be disappointed if he doesn't play like everyone else who has a ticket to this sold out game. But, the man is clearly injured. He did everything he could to play for Real Madrid when they needed him to secure the league title. I have to believe he is very aware of the criticism he and his team are receiving and if he could play, he would play. Maybe he makes a token appearance in the second half, but I hope it is only if he is healthy enough to do so. He signed a five year contract and will be coming back to DC every year. I for one will give the man a break and hope he is healthy enough to help the league expand it's reach later this year. If he can inspire one or two internationals, like Shevchenko, to come to MLS this winter, he will have succeeded in my mind, regardless of what he contributes on the field.

DC United looks to capitalize on its surprising and dominating win over Eastern Conference leading New England with four starters unavailable. Everyone trained this week, but Moreno (back) and Gomez (thigh) are still questionable. United has been very strong at home this season with a 5-2-1 (W-D-L) record and a +7 goal differential. United averages 2.63 goals per game at home in league play. They are in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference (1.59 PPG), six points behind New England (1.74 PPG) with two games in hand. They are in 5th place in the Supporter's Shield race, seven points behind Houston (1.70 PPG) with three games in hand.

The Galaxy, 3-5-5 (W-D-L), have only played three league games since the end of June (1-2-0) including Sunday's 0-0 tie with Toronto, and have played only thirteen league games all season. LA are 0-3-2 on the road season with a -3 goal differential. They are in 5th place in the Western Conference (1.08 PPG), twenty points behind Houston with seven (!) games in hand, and in 12th place in the Supporter's Shield race.

United and the Galaxy tied their only meeting this year, 0-0 in LA. United will should have everyone available, if not in the starting lineup. I expect the starting eleven to be Emilio, Kpene, Gomez, Fred, Olsen, Simms, Namoff, Burch, McTavish, Boswell, and Perkins a 4-4-2 formation. Carroll, Gros, and Moreno should get in during the second half. Beckham or no, United should outclass the Galaxy and build on their impressive victory in New England.

Prediction:

DC United 3:1 LA Galaxy

Game 17 - DC United 3:0 New England Revolution

I have to say, I was not optimistic when I saw United's starting lineup. No Gomez, no Moreno, no Fred, and Dyachenko in the #10 spot. Where were the goals going to come from?

Turns out there was nothing to worry about as United scored three of them. So let's talk about the goals, as notable things happened on all of them. On the first goal, it seemed to me after watching the replay that for a split second, Matt Reis, the Revolution keeper, had his hand on the top of the ball before Josh Gros poked it away and into the goal. So what is the rule? According to the FIFA Laws of the Game, it is as follows:

The goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with any part of his hand or arms. Possession of the ball includes the goalkeeper deliberately parrying the ball, but does not include the circumstances where, in the opinion of the referee, the ball rebounds accidentally from the goalkeeper, for example after he has made a save.

So, it would seem to me that however brief it was, Reis was touching the ball with his hand a fraction of a second before Gros kicked it. United got lucky.

On the second goal, Kpene and Emilio executed flawlessly on a play from the middle of ther field. I can't remember the last time DC scored on a pass liker this. Beautiful.

The third goal is a mystery to me. Why you ask? It's because Comcast was showing player reactions instead of the quick restart by Emilio. His give and go with Olsen was a thing of beauty on replay, but we never saw the overhead view which would show if Emilio was onside on the return pass. This was a real problem during the game, especially during the second half. We didn't see the short free kick on the end line which the Revs almost scored on. So, was Emilio offside? No idea. However, onside or not, he took a well timed shot which went in despite the deflection by Reis. Come on, Comcast. You're better than that.

The Good:

• Emilio notches two and plays well for the whole 90 minutes. He is now tied for the league lead in goals scored with Eddie Johnson.
• Burch, Boswell, McTavish, and Namoff is a nice back line. Who goes off when Vanney heals up?
• Even with all the midfielders and forwards unavailable, Brian Carroll is left out of the starting lineup. I call that significant and about time. Simms played well, and he was light years ahead of what Carroll had done recently.
• Perkins was excellent, and played with a command that bodes well for the rest of the season.

The Bad:

• Moreno leaves after 30 minutes due to back issues. Let's hope it was just a tweak.
• Olsen gets another silly yellow card. Just a moronic play by Benny. I will be thinking of that one when the inevitable suspension due to yellow card accumulation happens sometime in September.

Grades:

Forwards (Emilio and Kpene) A-

Kpene looked very good in 45 minutes of play. He seems to be almost fully fit. And Emilio, as mentioned above, was fantastic.

Midfielders (Dyachenko, Gros, Simms, and Olsen) B

Let's hope we don't get to the point where Dyachenko plays the attacking midfielder role again. Not that he was horrible, but he played far from inspiring soccer. Gros played nicely on the left and Olsen was adequate on the right. Simms seemed in control in the middle. Good game from this crew.

Defenders: (McTavish, Burch, Boswell, Namoff, and Perkins) A

A shutout speaks for itself. If Burch doesn't continue to start, Soehn and I will have a problem.

Substitutes: (Moreno, Carroll, and Mediate) C

Moreno still is suffering from a failure to make quick decisions which I think are directly related to how he is feeling. The healthier he feels, the more decisive he is. He seems to hold the ball much longer when he is not 100%. Today he was dispossessed a lot after dribbling into trouble. Carroll was not a factor and Mediate didn't make an impression either.

Preview of Game 17 - DC United at New England Revolution

DC United, 7-3-6 (W-D-L), heads to New England for a Sunday afternoon matchup with the Eastern Conference leading Revolution. DC continues to struggle on the road with a 2-1-5 record and a -3 goal differential. United averages 0.63 goals per game on the road in league play. They have been shut out four different times as well. Jamie Moreno and Guy-Roland Kpene should both be available to play the full 90, so United should have a more potent offense than they have been able to trot out there recently. They are in 5th place in the Eastern Conference (1.50 PPG), nine points behind New England (1.83 PPG) with two games in hand. They are in 8th place in the Supporter's Shield race, ten points behind Houston (1.79 PPG) with three games in hand.

New England (9-6-3) are unbeaten in their last six games (4-2-0) including Thursday's 2-0 win against Kansas City. The Revs are 4-4-1 at home this season with a +10 goal differential. They are in 1st place in the Eastern Conference (1.83 PPG), four points clear of Kansas City with one game in hand, and in 2nd place in the Supporter's Shield race, one point behind Houston.

United and the Revs tied their only meeting this year, 1-1 at RFK. United will be very tired as this is their 5th game in fifteen days. With Moreno, Kpene and Namoff available and Vanney quesionable and, I expect the starting eleven to be Emilio, Moreno, Gomez, Fred, Olsen, Carroll the Elder, Namoff, Burch, Gros, Boswell, and Perkins a 4-4-2 formation. Kpene and Simms should get in during the second half. I'd prefer to see Simms in place of Carroll, but I'm not hopeful.

Prediction:

DC United 1:1 New England Revolution

SuperLiga Game 3 - DC United 0:1 Houston Dynamo

What to take from the loss:

1. DC United needs Moreno on the field. I don't know if it is him or the rest of the team, but when he is on the field, everything seems to flow more smoothly.
2. Moreno took a cheap shot in the box from behind right in front of the referee. Should have been a penalty.
3. Direct evidence of why Boswell isn't a forward. Swing and a miss!
4. Kpene isn't nearly as skilled as I thought he was earlier in the year.
5. Carroll still hasn't played a good game this year, regardless of the competition. He was finally subbed out by Simms with under ten minutes to play. I just don't know what the coaches see in Carroll.
6. I'm not sure who hired the officials for these games, but they have been consistently one sided. Game one was pathetic at 22-6 for fouls, game two was better at 18-15 against DC, game three was 20-15.

EDIT: With the Club America win over Morelia, United is through to the semifinals.

SuperLiga Through Two Games

DC United is tied atop the Group B standings with 4 points along with Houston Dynamo. Morelia is in third with 2 points and Club America is in fourth with no points and is eliminated from advancing to the semifinals. United and Houston will go through with win, or a tie and a Morelia loss or tie, or a Morelia loss. DC and Dynamo play on Wednesday in Houston.

United has looked good in their first two games. The games appeared very similar in how they developed. DC takes an early 1-0 lead, the opposition has a player sent off, and United tries to hang on. Against Morelia, a volley from distance into the upper corner against the run of play cost United the full three points. United seemed to learn from that mistake and controlled the midfield and the pace of the game against Club America on Sunday.

I watched the game with my father-in-law, a Brazilian born soccer nut and he had some interesting comments on United's personnel. He was very impressed with Burch. His crosses were useful and he seemed to mesh well with Fred. He was very excited by the first half that Gomez had and was raving about him during the halftime. He could see Fred was very talented but still acclimating to the wing as he kept drifting to the center on occasion. Emilio had an off night, but he could see the vision. He loved Simms as a sub and wondered why he didn't start. And because I wear the #14 to all games, he took a particular interest in Olsen and saw why he is my favorite.

So this experience has caused me to look at what my "Ideal Eleven" would be at this point in the season. This assumes complete health for all players on the roster.

...................................Perkins.................................

Namoff.............Boswell...............Vanney.................Burch

...................................Simms...................................

..............Olsen..........................................Fred.........

....................................Gomez..................................

......................Moreno.....................Emilio................

Subs:

McTavish
Carroll the Elder
Gros
Addlery
Kpene
Moose
Nolly

So there is your 18 man game day roster. I firmly believe that group wins the Eastern Conference.

And on a side note, I hope DC United and the District officials have a plan in place to open as many parking lots as possible for the LA Galaxy game which is now sold out. Trying to force all cars through Lot 8 and letting that overflow into Lot 7 is a slow, painful process. Please, please, please open Lot 7 completely with multiple entrances. Lot 7 is gigantic, easily accessible from two exits off I-295 and always underutilized by those in charge. Have four people at each entrance to all lots taking money, not one or two. I really don't want to have to leave 2 hours early for that game to be in my seat at kickoff.

Game 16 - DC United 0:1 New York Red Bulls

Quick recap...

This result is not a surprise given the lack of personnel available. Moreno, Olsen, Namoff, Kpene, and Moose were all sidelined. So, Burch got the start along with Simms, Gros moved back to midfield, and the result was a reduced attack. Not that there weren't chances. Boswell narrowly missed twice. Addlery had a great chance as well.

Now, the missed call on Fred in the box was atrocious. His jersey was torn for goodness sake. But, I am tired of blaming officials. United was outplayed. Fred got a red for being stupid, Carroll was invisible again, and DC's depth was show to be a bit lacking at this point in the season. Hopefully the SuperLiga will be a better result.

Grades:

Forward (Emilio) C
Midfielders (Fred, Gomez, Gros, Simms, and Carroll) C+
Defenders (McTAvish, Vanney, Boswell, Burch, and Perkins) B-
Subs (deRoux and Addlery) B-

Preview of Game 16 - DC United at New York Red Bulls

DC United, 7-3-5 (W-D-L), travels up the NJ Turnpike for a Sunday afternoon game looking to rebound from the second half collapse against Dallas last week. Jamie Moreno left the game with a hamstring injury and his availability is questionable. United's bench is very thin so Moreno's ability to play will be key to their chances to post three points this week. DC has been struggling on the road with a 2-1-4 record and a -2 goal differential. They are in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference (1.60 PPG), two points behind New England (1.73 PPG). They are in 5th place in the Supporter's Shield race, nine points behind Houston (1.83 PPG) with three games in hand.

NYRB (7-3-6)has won only one of their last six games (1-1-4) including last week's 1-0 loss to New England. They also only have two wins since May. Perhaps their hot start in April (3-1-0) was similar to United's cold one (0-1-3), not indicative of the real strength of the team. Midfielder Claudio Reyna has not been on form the last few weeks and was pulled early during the 4-0 drubbing by Houston two weeks ago. Juan Pablo Angel hasn't scored in four games. However, Josy Altidore should be back from the U-20 tournament and in the starting lineup which makes them a much more dangerous team. NYRB are 4-1-2 at home this season with a +9 goal differential. They are also in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference (1.50 PPG), two points behind New England, and in 5th place in the Supporter's Shield race.

United has had great success against the Red Bulls over the last few years in a very one sided rivalry. With a win, United will clinch the Atlantic Cup for the fourth straight year. Moreno and Namoff are questionable for this game and Moose is out after having groin surgery to repair a hernia. I expect the starting eleven to be Emilio, Moreno, Gomez, Fred, Olsen, Carroll the Elder, Vanney, McTavish, Gros, Boswell, and Perkins a 4-4-2 formation. Kpene and Simms should get in during the second half.

EDIT: Since Moose, Namoff, Kpene, Moreno and Olsen won't make the trip, this is going to be quite the interesting lineup. Addlery is the obvious choice to replace Moreno. The midfielder is more interesting. I'd go with Simms, but Mediate and Jeff Carroll are also options. A more remote possibility is Burch on the backline, with Gros moving to winger. What Soehn does will be very interesting. I'm actually very intrigued now as to what he does.

Prediction:

DC United 2:1 New York Red Bulls

EDIT: With all the substututes, new Prediction:

DC United 1:2 New York Red Bulls

Ralston: MLS Career Assist Leader

Steve Ralston moved into first place on the all time MLS career assist list this weekend with number 115, breaking his tie with Carlos Valderama.

Game 15 - DC United 3:3 FC Dallas

Let me get a few thoughts off my chest which have nothing to do with what I think caused this result.

1. Brian Carroll doesn't get involved with the offense, he doesn't make good passes, and he doesn't track back when the defense is in trouble. And now, he doesn't mark his man and slow down his movement towards the goal. So what good is he doing on the field? To say I am not happy with his play would be a grotesque understatement. I've never been impressed with him, but I was convinced by others that he did the little things to help his team win. Nope, not buying it anymore.
2. After being up 3:0, the team again got complacent and gave up the quick goal and that put Houston back in the game. This has to stop. Which when followed by Moreno leaving with a hammy, you could see United deflate for about 25 minutes.
3. The referee was very questionable, but not the reason for the loss. He just made it easier for Dallas to come back. And the linesman on the Barra Brava side was horrendous. We sit even with the top of the 18 yard box at the La Norte end of the field, and watched him make mistake after mistake all game long. Painful.

Now the reason why I think United lost? We have a bigger drop off in talent from starting eleven to substitutes than at any time I can remember. There is really no question who should be in the starting lineup except for two positions where it isn't that the player on the bench is really good and pushing for minutes, but the starter is playing badly or out of position. You could argue, as I would, that Simms should start over Carroll, and that Namoff is better than McTavish and/or Gros, but when in the history of United has there been a time when there was no one on the bench you were hoping would get the call in the second half to spark the team. Now, you are hoping no subs are made in case something like tonight happens: a complete drop off in production as when Moreno was replaced by Kpene and Olsen was replaced by Simms.

The Good:

• Emilio was tremendous. His spacing was great, his finishing was textbook, and his presence was felt all over the field.
• Fred had another good game and is now consistently more dangerous than Gomez over the course of 90 minutes.
• Moreno had one of his best halves of the season.

The Bad:

• Perkins was at fault for the second and third goals. He should have charged the second goal and he misplayed the third goal by coming out and missing it.
• Carroll, as discussed above, was an empty shirt.
• Vanney and Boswell did not have a good game. Not sure what the problem is, but FC Dallas had wide open people in the box continuously in the last 45 minutes.

Grades:

Forwards (Emilio and Moreno) A+

The two best players on the field in Black and Red.

Midfielders (Fred, Gomez, Carroll the Elder, and Olsen) B-

Fred and Olsen were good. Gomez was okay. I'm not sure Carroll was on the field.

Defense (Boswell, Vanney, Gros, McTavish, and Perkins) C

Along with Carroll, losing the three goal lead falls to this group. No team at any level should lose a three goal advantage.

Subs (Kpene and Simms) D

Kpene wiffed on a great setup inside the box and was consistently pushed off the ball. I don't know if he is still hurt, but he didn't seem to have his normal quickness. Simms wasn't much of a factor in only a few minutes of play.

United Knocked Out of US Open Cup

I know I am late to the party commenting on this, but here is my take:

1. I hate artificial fields. It's a different game when you play on them. The turf at Toronto's stadium isn't bad, but seriously, is it too hard to require all outdoor fields to be grass to play in MLS and in major US tournaments?
2. I'm not sure I understand why this game was awarded to the lesser rated team. If I remember right, if the previous round's result had been reversed, United would have hosted the game. I'm not saying home field determined the result, but one of these teams just flew back from Houston and then had to bus it north to Pennsylvania. Which brings me to...
3. If United is only going to start two of their top eleven, screw it and withdraw. I hate the fact that DC lost this game playing a bunch of scrubs. If they lost with the top lineup, fine. What a sour taste this leaves.

Game 14 - DC United 0:1 Houston Dynamo

This was a game that followed the script almost to perfection. Unfortunately it was Houston's script. United displayed an excellent possession game in both halves. It didn't lead to very many offensive chances though. Gomez had one excuse-me-shot off a free kick smack the cross bar on the bounce, and Emilio had a one-on-one chance which he put directly into Onstead's legs. And that was the offense. Defensively, United was stellar. If only Fred had stepped up with the back line offside trap or Addlery had not jumped over the shot from the top of the box, this would have been a scoreless draw. Perkins was fantastic again, Boswell and Vanney controlled the middle, and Gros and McTavish played steady on the edges.

The Good:

• Perkins continues to excel. Only good things happen when your keeper is at the top of his game. This bodes well for the rest of the year.
• Boswell and Vanney look good together in the middle. I'm guessing United will stay with the 4-4-2 for the rest of the season.

The Bad:

• Olsen, Gomez, and Carroll were invisible for large stretches of the game, especially Carroll.
• Addlery and Emilio had great difficulties controlling the ball with a defender on their back. Lots of giveaways on passes that bounced away.

Grades:

Forwards (Emilio and Addlery) C

Emilio didn't convert his one chance and Addlery had none.

Midfielders (Fred, Gomez, Carroll the Elder, and Olsen) C

Full of great possession signifying nothing.

Defense (Boswell, Vanney, McTavish, Gros, and Perkins) A

Perkins had no chance to react to the deflection, but otherwise the defense was first rate. I only wish they wouldn't clear crosses to the top of the box so often. I don't think it led directly to the goal, but if that had gone to the side or out of bounds, things may have turned out differently.

Subs (Burch, Simms, and Dyachenko) C+

Another ineffective performance at forward for Dyachenko. Simms was fine in limited action, Burch looked pretty good moving forward pressing for the equalizer.

Steve Ralston Ties MLS Assist Record

Steve Ralston assisted on New England's lone goal to tie Carlos Valderama's record of 114. Ralston, Cobi Jones (87), and Jamie Moreno (84) are the only active players in the top 10 for career assists.

Preview of Game 14 - DC United at Houston Dynamo

DC United, 7-2-4 (W-D-L), moves on to Houston for a Sunday night match. United should have some of their walking wounded and Copa America players back for this match. Boswell, Namoff, and Kpene should be available. It is not yet certain if Moreno and Olsen will make the trip. DC is 2-1-3 on the road with a -1 goal differential. They are in 1st place in the Eastern Conference (1.77 PPG), one point ahead of New England (1.69 PPG). They are in 3rd place in the Supporter's Shield race, six points behind FC Dallas (1.71 PPG) with four games in hand.

Houston is red hot after spanking New York on Thursday 4-0. Brian Ching leads this well oiled offensive machine which recently added Nate Jaqua from LA. They score a ton at home (13) and have only allowed four goals in eight games. The Dynamo are 5-1-2 at home this season with a +9 goal differential. They are in 2nd place in the Western Conference (1.73 PPG), three points behind FC Dallas, and in 2nd place in the Supporter's Shield race.

United stole one on Wednesday and Houston will be ready. They are at full strength and are playing well, unbeaten in their last seven while only allowing three goals. If Boswell, Namoff, Vanney, and Gros play well, United has a good chance to draw with Houston. However, that is a tough task as this will be the first time they will have played together. I expect the starting eleven to be Emilio, Addlery, Gomez, Fred, Moose, Carroll the Elder, Vanney, Boswell, Gros, Namoff, and Perkins a 4-4-2 formation. Moose, Dyachenko and Simms should get in during the second half.

Prediction:

DC United 1:2 Houston FC