DC United vs Chicago PRE Match Press (Goff, Wright and Others)

[Knave]

Lots to comment on.

United Is Down To Its Last Chance (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16689-2003Nov8.html) - Goff, W. Post

Fire eyeing next step in playoff run (http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20031109-010729-4440r.htm) - Wright, W. Times

United Is Down To Its Last Chance (http://www.suntimes.com/output/fire/cst-spt-fire09.html) - Ziehm, Chicago Sun Times

Sarachan calls Fire's 2-0 playoff lead 'scary' (http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/sports_story.asp?intID=37934122) - McDill, Chicago Daily Herald

[sch2383]

For Etcheverry, today's game could very well be his last in a United uniform. Even if D.C. were to win the series, he would miss the conference final because of Bolivian World Cup qualifying duty against Argentina next weekend. (He said he is scheduled to leave for South America immediately following today's match.) Etcheverry's contract expires after this season and he would probably have to accept a significant pay cut to remain in the league. His agent, Ruben Morales, is expected to meet him in Buenos Aires to discuss his options overseas.

"If this is my last game, I will be very sad," he said. "But I don't know what is going to happen. I need to talk to my agent and to MLS."


Well at leat he wants to figure out what he is going to do soon.

[GUTuna]

Ivanov to start. Stoich to the bench.

This is going to be an ugly match to have to start my morning with on the west coast.

[CHICO13]

As probably the biggest Marco supporter on this forum, I can honestly say I hope this is his last game in a red and black kit. I've defended him on BigSoccer this year with all the passion I could muster. He's my idol and a personal friend. I've seen him do some remarkable things on a pitch that I will never forget. But yet I'm not naive enough to think that he is the player he once was.

It strikes me as a little weird that his last game in the States could very well be in the same stadium where he got a red card in his only WC appearnce.


An era is over but my team is still DC United. Godspeed Marco, you've made every Bolivian and DC United fan proud...

The MLS owes you huge.....

[Th4119]

Originally posted by GUTuna
Ivanov to start. Stoich to the bench.

This is going to be an ugly match to have to start my morning with on the west coast.

He's our best defender in terms of offensive ability. It's our only move thanks to that 2nd goal against versus Chicago. Way to keep the focus boys...

[doneshufflin]

So basically from what i gathered about the comment that prideaux has less offensive skills than ivanov is that they are going to start ivanov over prideaux. What? That would spell disaster. If you want more offense take out slow, whiny, and old midfielders out of the line up. Basically bench Etch. His contributions are limited and I believe it would be a more complete line up with younger more athletic players with less egos.

[Sanguine]

Originally posted by doneshufflin
So basically from what i gathered about the comment that prideaux has less offensive skills than ivanov is that they are going to start ivanov over prideaux. What? That would spell disaster. If you want more offense take out slow, whiny, and old midfielders out of the line up. Basically bench Etch. His contributions are limited and I believe it would be a more complete line up with younger more athletic players with less egos.

I posted earlier in the week that we had to get prideaux off the field in this game. playing him at left back in a 4-4-2 gives us a huge hole on the left side any time we move forward into the offense. We have 3 capable center backs, but one needs to sit if we're going to play aggressively.

Unless you'd like to see the 5-4-1 we played last week again, that is...

[Jose L. Couso]

Thanks for the link Knave.

""We've got to let a lot of heart and emotion come out and play like it's our last 90 minutes, which it very well might be," defender Mike Petke said." I think this quote sums it up the best.

Hopefully they come out fighting.

As to last games, it could very well be the last game in a DC United uniform for a lot of players and coaches.

Hopefully everyone has gotten the message.

[hattrickr20]

I agree with Hudson starting Ivanov because a backline with Nelsen, Petke, Ivanov, and Namoff can still get us a shutout and Ivanov is one of our most dangerous players of set pieces, which the way our offense looked in game 1, may be DC's only way score. However, I would still keep Brandon in the lineup and let Brian sit because Brandon is very good at taking one player out of the game and with Razov and Raph up top, we will really need his marking ability.

[Knave]

Three more articles added above: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=1787243#post1787243