Why didn't Etcheverry play against the Metros?

[MichaelArandia23]

anyone know?

[ursula]

As far as I am aware of, there was no official explaination by Hudson or Trask. Short of that, what follows will be rampant speculation by my fellow BSers. I will say that this is not the first time this has happened this year.

Oh yes- welcome to BigSoccer!

[Knave]

Rampant speculation, my fanny!

Let me first put on my flame retardant suit ... OK.

He's old. He's out of shape. He plays very little defense. He slows down the attack. Richie Williams owns his a$$. Q2 is playing better than him right now. His corner kicks suck. It's easier for him to berate the linesman from the bench. His freekicks suck. He cut his mullet and lost his magical powers. Others on the team have finally learned to take throwins. Hristo needs a drinking buddy on the sideline. Did I mention he's old and out of shape? He was hoping to put the moves on Veronica Paysee but she no longer works the sidelines and Wynalda wasn't interested. When you're only 5'9" but weigh 190lbs, once you sit down it's hard to get up.

Flame away Etch defenders. Flame away! I can take it ... :D

And, yeah, welcome to BigSoccer.com.

...

ps ... Etch defenders - lighten up please. ;)

[RMDad]

It doesnt matter why, he didn't, and we WON!

[eltico]

Originally posted by RMDad
we WON!

Against the Metros.


Hahahaha.

[TCompton]

Alecko, Marco, and Chino were warming up down by us during the game. The brought Alecko in, I'm assuming to give him some minutes and to rest Thiago. By the time we were up by 2 goals, we had focused more on defense, thus Chino goes in. Since we didn't really need anymore goals, we didn't need an offensive spark from Marco.

btw... we gave him a little "Diablo" chant while he and Chino were watching from the endline, which he returned with a wave and clapping.

[Jose L. Couso]

Well well what do you know, another Marco bashing thread.

Whatever.

[CHICO13]

Originally posted by Knave
Rampant speculation, my fanny!

Let me first put on my flame retardant suit ... OK.

He's old. He's out of shape. He plays very little defense. He slows down the attack. Richie Williams owns his a$$. Q2 is playing better than him right now. His corner kicks suck. It's easier for him to berate the linesman from the bench. His freekicks suck. He cut his mullet and lost his magical powers. Others on the team have finally learned to take throwins. Hristo needs a drinking buddy on the sideline. Did I mention he's old and out of shape? He was hoping to put the moves on Veronica Paysee but she no longer works the sidelines and Wynalda wasn't interested. When you're only 5'9" but weigh 190lbs, once you sit down it's hard to get up.

Flame away Etch defenders. Flame away! I can take it ... :D

And, yeah, welcome to BigSoccer.com.

...

ps ... Etch defenders - lighten up please. ;)
This crap is really getting old. Why don't you just sticky a Marco Bashing thread and get it over with. Then all you experts can bash to your hearts content.

[Knave]

Geez! I guess it wasn't over the top enough.

You all are taking what I wrote way too seriously.

[Jose L. Couso]

Originally posted by CHICO13
This crap is really getting old. Why don't you just sticky a Marco Bashing thread and get it over with. Then all you experts can bash to your hearts content.

That sounds like a reasonable suggestion.

Of course I would like to add that people defending Marco should not be harassed and given cards.

[Jose L. Couso]

Originally posted by Knave
Geez! I guess it wasn't over the top enough.

You all are taking what I wrote way too seriously.

Crying wolf? ;)

[Knave]

I hide nothing about my opinion on Etch. I don't think he's capable of playing in MLS anymore. But if anyone read what I wrote above and took it totally seriously ... well, I just can't help you there.

[MichaelArandia23]

Not since we got cerritos did we have any repectable forwards on our team. E showed us all what he can do and he can still do it. Not only is he a class act on the field but off also he appreciates his fans more than any other athlete ive ever been around (nba,nfl, nhl) if hes not here next season dcunited will be losing a season ticket holder.

[CHICO13]

Originally posted by Knave
I hide nothing about my opinion on Etch. I don't think he's capable of playing in MLS anymore.
That's your opinion. Mine is that he has contributed to getting this team in the playoff hunt after three years. After Ray stripped him of the armband and told him to sit, Marco took it like a man and said he would do whatever it takes to help the team win. He would play 50 or so minutes and play his heart out for the team he loves. Then Ray decides to go back on his word and play him a full 90. Talk about setting somebody up. He had great games against New England, Colorado and LA at home. He's passing well and even playing out of position when asked. And no one even mentions the fact that the young players, especially Convey have had a great mentor that helped make them the players they are today. Once the seasons over I'm sure you all will be happy when they throw Marco out like yesterdays newspaper.

[Barbara]

Originally posted by RMDad
It doesnt matter why, he didn't, and we WON!


A rare moment of true wisdom on BigSoccer.com.

Savor it, people.

[Sanguine]

During the game the ESPN2 announcers seemed to indicate that it was because his heel was flaring up again and they didn't want to risk it with the game being on the plastic crap.

or maybe I was just hearing things since nobody else seems to have remembered hearing it.

[monster]

We have three games in a week. Marco has shown in the last month or so that - if he's not depended on to be a 90-minute man every single game - he's still able to contribute. But Traskson has to pick their spots to best use him.

He'll be great to have at home with Nelson anchoring the defense behind him. But without Nellie, on turf, on the road and with Richie on the field, why not sit him to rest him for Sunday?

[Cweedchop]

Let me just say first that I am a Marco fan.. He's my favorite United player of all-time..

With that being said, I've been very critical of him on the radio and in print as well on this board, and for good reason..

Though Benjamin (Knave) was saying all that in a sarcastic tone, there certainly is a ring of truth to what he is saying.. And anyone who knows the history of this board will certainly notice that Knave and myself rarely see eye to eye on many topics, but in his defense, he went out of his way to say that he was being facecious..

Chico and Jose, you need to lighten up.. I don't know if you guys watched the match or not late Thursday night but the comments that Eric Wynalda (love him or hate him), Ty Keough and Glenn Davis were all saying were absolutely true.. They said as much that the 4 players that consisted of United's midfield on that day (Convey-Dema-Stewart-Olsen) worked their arses off for 90 minutes and created a huge problem for the Mutts in that they had no time to make decisions because of the constant pressure applied by the foursome and the attacking quality of those players as well..

Even being a Marco apologist myself I can certainly recognize that with Marco in the midfield they would not have been able to produce that kind of sustained pressure for 90 minutes.. You have to at least concede that much..

I still think Marco is a dangerous player in this league, he's just not a 90 minute danger player.. Considering that we have a whole lot of matches in a short period of time, why argue with the success that midfield had on Thursday?

So basically to sum it all up for the original posters question, Marco didn't play for tactical reasons and it ended up being a home run for Traskson.. That is not to say that we couldn't have still gotten 3 points with Marco in the lineup, it's just that on that night the combination worked more to our advantage...

[1MADDOG]

Originally posted by Knave
Geez! I guess it wasn't over the top enough.

You all are taking what I wrote way too seriously.

Well Benjamin, your right. Diablo is slow and is obviously aging, but keep in mind he had always been slow since day one in this league. The moment he got injured in Chile back in 93, he hasnt been the same. Thats why he hasnt really had a team since then, or at least been a starter. He still played with the national team, but thats because he was more of a symbol.

It hurts to see Diablo be what he has become. He went from being one of South Americas great forwards to a wanna be midfielder, who convey should be able to out do easily, which is further indication that Convey doesnt belong as a first hand attacking midfielder.

I will always see him as a forward. Seeing him as a midfielder is like watching Wynalda trying to be a midfielder. Doesnt look right. For a man that can bearly run, Diablo plays pretty decently in MLS.

Etcheverry has the same problem as VACA, who is an actual midfielder and can bend and place the ball better then diablo. Its the forwards and the surrounding cast. Etch has very little mobility, but if hes going to be placed as an attacking midfielder, hes going to need a cast that suits him. He didnt have that with Rongen, and Hudson, well he is not taking the chance is doing that, Im assuming because Etch has indicated he's going to retire. I like what he's done with the team though.

My point, Etch is playing an adopted position. His mobility hasnt changed since day one, so stop using that as an excuse for his bad play. The threat of his passes and long balls are still better then anyone else on the field (according to the assitant coach of DC), but can the forwards play with Etch? Can they read him like the way the forwards did when Arena was orchestrating everything?

The only other current answer to replace etch is q2. But he doesnt place the ball as well as Etch. He has far better vision then Convey, and is learning to hustle as good as convey, but DC is going to need to find a serious candidate to replace Etch if he retires. And yes, I think he should retire after this season. I prefer to see one of my countries heros retire with grace, as oppose to what happend with Harkes.

[American40]

if hes not here next season dcunited will be losing a season ticket holder.

Wow. Now THAT'S over the top.