For the record, DC was missing one of it's CBs yesterday. Opare and Birnbaum are a perfectly serviceable MLS pairing. The problem, as always, is Brillant, who is not even MLS backup quality.
Brillant had a couple of excellent plays yesterday, and is the better passer by far. Opare is the better man-defender, but can't pass his way out of a wet paper bag. If we could somehow combine the two...
Kind of like the old debate of whether we could combine Korb and Kemp. Someone with a combination of Brillant's and Opare's skills is probably not playing in MLS and is certainly not playing on DC United.
I had zero beers! Just water and food. But I had no benefit of replays since I was watching it live. If the call was correct- fair play to him- even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Yes, this three man back line was bullshit made up by announcers who don't know what they are talking about. Robinson was playing right back, and that's it. No big change in tactics.
Only a generalization as to why they use VAR not eyewitness accounts from spectators. And of course you had no benefit of TV replays, it was clear from your posts you were there in person. The ref, as you implied got one right, but it was the wrong one if you favored DCU.
If we hadn't sucked the whole first half of the season, a draw against the pink cows would be ok. Given the hole, we dug ourselves a draw isn't good enough.
I will agree that he has transformed this team from bad to an edge of the playoff team. That's a big change given so many below average players on this team. I still think we need a house cleaning on defense. I'm hard-pressed to think of anyone other than Hamid I really want to keep. Some may say that Birnbaum and Opare should be retained but frankly, I don't see it especially at the price DC is paying.
Couldn't make it to the game at the last minute but did watch on tv. I have to say it was not a handball. VAR did its job. The ref was talking to the VAR. From one angle it looked like he touched it with his arm but the other angles showed the ball came off his shoulder and then down in front of his arm.
They played well. They also played dumb because they let the one guy you can't let beat you, beat them. The first goal was a really unfortunate Hamid spazz attack, a couple of those a year comes with the package. But the last two were totally preventable with tight, determined marking, on the finisher and provider both. it's as simple as recognizing a dangerous situation, BIrnbaum yelling I got him, and sticking to BWP like glue until danger averted, regardless of where the ball is going or coming from. Especially in the last five minutes protecting a lead, no excuse just the worst defensive execution. Having said all that, the goals were sick (Luchooooooo!!!!!) and United finally played like they could run with and around Redbulls. Get Opare back in there to block shots and track runners, if Asad gets it going, Hamid has no more howlers, this team will make the playoffs. Low bar, but from where they're coming from, it's strong. Gotta beat Montreal or never mind that last part.
Arriola was playing as the winger on the right and Mora was winger on the left. Robinson was a centerback on the right hand side. Since Arriola and Segura both exchanged positions a lot it was hard to tell who was playing as the right winger. Overall, I thought Ben was playing narrow because he wanted to control the center of the field -- which they did very well until NY brought in some speedy wingers and forced play wide.
This defense is a shambles.. I am just not even going to get into it... I am beyond furious, it needs to be scrapped somehow and start over.