Official DC United vs MetroStars PRE Match Thread • Atlantic Cup Matchday 4

[Knave]

DC United vs MetroStars
• Atlantic Cup • Matchday 4 •

• Sunday, September 28, 4:00 EST •

• Live on MSG and Shootout
• DCUnited.com Match Preview - Including TV, Radio and Webcast Information (http://www.dcunited.com/index.cfm?section=main&cont_id=206101)
• MLSNet Match Notes (http://www.mlsnet.com/games/03/tracker.php?gamename=09282003_METDC&version=preview)
• English Webcast - WMET (http://www.wmet.kivex.com/)
• Other Webcasts (http://www.socceraudio.com/USA.htm)
• PBP Chat Information (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42696)

• Atlantic Cup Results • Obscured to Avoid Spoilers • Highlight To See More Clearly •

Matchday 1: DC United 0 : 1 MetroStars
Matchday 2: DC United 2 : 3 MetroStars
Matchday 3: DC United 2 : 0 MetroStars
Aggregate: DC United 4 : 4 MetroStars

This post will be updated later in the week for corrections and additions.
Items in gray will be updated once available or confirmed.

No Flames • No Trolls

[GoDC]

Pressure is on the MetroDonkeys now. We kick their ass 3-1.

[GoDC]

I am going to guess that one of the Kevin's (Stott or Terry) will be the ref Sunday. Brian Hall, Alex Prus, Terry Vaughn, and Gus St Silva already have asisngments this weekend.

Olsen was on DC101 for a few minutes and said that this one could be pretty ugly.

[Jose L. Couso]

DC United-2
Metostas-0

[gunner_21]

So its all down to this for the Atlantic Cup. I am so excited. My b-day's on Monday and I think DCU has an early present for me! :D 2-1 DCU. Retain the Atlantic Cup and move past the Metros in the East!!

[Bison1997]

Originally posted by GoDC
I am going to guess that one of the Kevin's (Stott or Terry) will be the ref Sunday. Brian Hall, Alex Prus, Terry Vaughn, and Gus St Silva already have asisngments this weekend.

Olsen was on DC101 for a few minutes and said that this one could be pretty ugly.

Alex Prus was the ref last night and if he never refs a DC United match again, it will be too soon.

And I knew Sunday was gonna be ugly midway through the first half yesterday. :D

[ursula]

Lineups?

I say Hudson/trask go with the same, except for Nellie and Warren:

-----------------Warren
Ivanov----Petke----Nelsen----Prideaux
--------------Kovalenko
Olsen-------------------------Convey
---------------Stewart
----Cerritos------------Martins

The chemistry was just too good last nght to tamper with the lineup much. Plus, this lineup is both much faster and much taller than what the metros can field.

[GoDC]

Originally posted by Bison1997
Alex Prus was the ref last night and if he never refs a DC United match again, it will be too soon.

And I knew Sunday was gonna be ugly midway through the first half yesterday. :D

I agree but the league must like him because he is flying out to do the KC LA game Saturday night.

:D

[Darth_Norteno]

The uglier the better. We will prevail in the Battle of the Anacostia 3-0. The Metros will come out looking for payback, but once again will be unable to cope witha confident DCU midfield. Then come Wednesday, we keep the Muertos trophyless yet again by shafting them up Rutgers University. I want those red-and-black-striped bastards to come with everything they've got, and that goes for their punkass fans too.

[Begbie]

Bring banners, drums, flags, streamers, confetti, your posse and smokey stuff...everyone needs to step up and make RFK rock.
Like you need to be told.
One battle is over, it's time to focus on Sunday.
LA BARRA BRAVA!!!

[American40]

So what's the attendance going to be, given it's on an NFL Sunday?

[DutchFootballRulez]

I expect to see Etch back in his old spot. W/ Quintanilla out on the left this time.

Bradley is not going to let us dominate the set pieces like before.

BTW, those who watch the ESPN2 tape delay ...did anyone else see the Man Utd commercial w/ Tim Howard?

[TheFarSide]

Originally posted by ursula
Lineups?

I say Hudson/trask go with the same, except for Nellie and Warren:

-----------------Warren
Ivanov----Petke----Nelsen----Prideaux
--------------Kovalenko
Olsen-------------------------Convey
---------------Stewart
----Cerritos------------Martins

The chemistry was just too good last nght to tamper with the lineup much. Plus, this lineup is both much faster and much taller than what the metros can field.

I would agree except there is only three days rest. I think we will see Q2 and Etch in there. The chemistry was great and the mid field played awsome - the best we looked in years.

[American40]

BTW, those who watch the ESPN2 tape delay ...did anyone else see the Man Utd commercial w/ Tim Howard?

Yeah, it was cool. Rio, Ruud, and Tim at the end. Heady times for U.S. soccer fans, eh?:)

[ursula]

Originally posted by TheFarSide
I would agree except there is only three days rest. I think we will see Q2 and Etch in there. The chemistry was great and the mid field played awesome - the best we looked in years.

Yeah- I'm of two minds here and I'm also trying to figure what Hudson will do: that in itself is crazy making. So here's the arguments both ways as I see 'em:

For keeping the midfield and forwards the same

1) As the TV guys accurately said, we had a bunch o worker bees out there, six guys working their asses off complimenting/overlapping each other beautifully. By far the best our offense has looked for an entire game, without question.

2) These six were also a lot faster than the metros mid and defense and with Guevera out next game that speed difference will be all the greater.

3) Martins fit in beautifully and his height really distracted the metros on set pieces. They aren't very good in the air anyways and with nellie probably back our height advantage will be huge.

4) Stewart is flat out better than etch on free and corner kicks and if Etch plays, he takes 'em.

5) Convey played his best since the Tottenham incident. That along with the fact that opposing teams now know that Q2 has no right foot and are thus better able to shut him down. That makes Q2 less able to overlap with the a-mid like Convey and Olsen can.

6) Yes our front six will be a little tired, but, a) they are all in great condition and it's not like the metros will be rested. That and the fact that such low work rate guys as Mathis and Lisi will be both tired and counted on to generate their offense will make our speed advantage all the more apparent on the RFK grass. Look we have our foot on their necks- why take it off by a change in personnel that we don't know will be as effective? It's not as if the metros have players on the bench who will vastly improve their midfield and defense.

Against keeping the mid and forwards intact

1) There will have to be fatigue in those six and Etcheverry and Quintanilla are just as good. We can afford to sit uh probably Convey and Martins for the next game and still be as strong.

2) With Nellie coming back we can keep our height advantage if Martins sits.

3) Etch's lack of defense will not be as important since Guevara won't be playing.

4) Etch's passing when he's on could take apart that metros defense better than any other DCU player. I wouldn't be surprised if Bradley switches to a 442 so our passing could use Etch's touch.


.....

My guess is that Hudson already made up his mind on who will play the next game before the last game. Either that or he hasn't thought about it yet.

[Lanky134]

Keep the momentum, guys. Maintain focus and take 'em down like last year. A win will put us
in great position to clinch a playoff spot against Columbus.

No Guevara so I'll look for Fatass to drop back and help out Lisi with Wolyniec and Magee (if he's able) up top. I'll take that lineup any day.

[revelation]

Originally posted by American40
So what's the attendance going to be, given it's on an NFL Sunday?

Why do we care about the Norwegian Football League? :rolleyes:

I might even venture a guess on the result after my last attempt in the Spoilers thread (which was 2:1 DC)...

I predict 17,000 fans witness a demolishing - DC United 3

Metroscum -1

They are missing "the Submariner" who really creates everything for them in midfield - not to mention his flops give Cletus a chance...

[TCompton]

Since Martins is out for the Open Cup, I'd imagine that we'd see him in on Sunday. We'd be foolish to play without Cerritos or Earnie either, so they'll probably stay in the same formation. Bobby's at risk to lose the spot to Eliseo, but he did have solid game on Thursday, so we'll see. If Nellie's 100% he plays, if not 100% then we rest him again. I would hate to push players through things like a flu like illness if we've got sufficient depth to cover his spot.

On Wednesday, I imagine that Marco starts along with Eliseo.

[Frog Boy]

A couple thoughts:

Have we gotten an update on Nicky?

As much as I love Nicky and I want him in goal, this is an excellent opportunity for Warren to show us what he is made of

Shouldn't "Che" Guevara be playing on the revolution?

Man, I can't wait until Sunday. Right now, all of the pressure is on the scum.

Oh yea, if you are trying to pick me out in the crowd, I am the guy in Barra Brava with a beer in his hand. That should narrow it down.

[fatbastard]

This should be a good one Sunday! When we win this one (3-0), it's gonna set up a very ugly game at Rutgers on Wed. Damn them for going back oon their promise to televise the semis.....
I knew Nicky had played alot of consecutive minutes (too many for me) but I had no idea he was only 50 minutes away from an MLS record.

The following story is about the DC/NJ rivalry, and was put up yesterday on MLSNet, I hadn't seen a link yet, so it fits here as well as anywhere, and it even mentions the GrillMaster, and the Screagles !!
http://mlsnet.com/content/03/analyze0925.html

As far as who to play and whether to break up the group from last night, I say we rest Benny and stick Q2 in, and tell Bobby to run himself empty 'cause Etch is coming in at 55'. Or start Etch and rest Earnie, but I like Earnie on the field.

Sunday's thrashing will be to make up for that crap goal scored on us in OT when the vermin visited us earlier in the season.