When a player with potential doesn't seem to improve, he gets moved back to fullback (see Chris Albright). When he doesn't improve as a fullback, he rides pine. When he has Kompromat, he's Nick Deleon.
There is no other explanation for why NDL is a starter. Perhaps he would start in USL but not in MLS. Everyone except the coach sees it.
No idea. But if anyone has a better explanation please offer it. I have watched game after game NDLs every decision, every first touch and he is awful. By far the worst player on the team last year and this year so far.
Why do you assume that Mattocks will play himself out of the lineup? He's looked better than Mullins so far. Mattocks has scored or assisted in ever pre-season game but is now some bad guy hated by the board because he missed Arriola twice. The same guy who a couple days earlier passed the ball to a wide open Lucho who scored vs Jacksonville instead of continuing to try for himself.
I never said he should be benched or he was a bad guy...just that those 2 plays in particular were awful IMO on both execution and decision making. He'd be my starter right now.
I'm trying not to read too much into the scoring output in preseason, because I think the chances are going to be much fewer and farther between once the season starts. The passing display was fairly impressive in this game – if DC could play a full season against USL teams, Arriola would smash the assists record and Mattocks and Mullins would both be 15-goal scorers. Unfortunately, there's no way this midfield gets the kind of time on the ball they had against LV once they're playing MLS competition. They got away with a lot of poor first touches and sloppy passes on Saturday that any decent MLS team will punish.
Well, he's pretty terrible dealing with high balls, but I disagree with you on the rest of it. He's good in tight spaces, can ride out a challenge and he completes his passes at a high rate (for this team, at least). That's why he's still on the field. Once Kemp gets healthy, I think Fisher takes his spot, though.
I didn't watch the game, but other posters have said LV employed a high press...wouldn't that indicate that time on the ball was already low? I did see them get away with a couple bad plays in the highlights, but because LV would turn it right back or never fully gain possession.
Finally watched the game ... an excellent use of company bandwidth on a Monday. I would rate the starting defenders in the LV game: 1. Fisher 18. Brillant 19. Birnbaum 27. DeLeon We are still awful in the air in the back, we are still especially easily susceptible to a high ball that splits the 2 CBs. Our offense looked better, but again were stripped too easily in the middle - might be tired legs from training plus playing - but I assume they'll practice this week and the season starts Saturday. Lucho should be rested for the Hotlanta game. Best part of the LV game I thought was the fact that they award The Hardest Working Player for the game rather than MOTM because it's sponsored by the International Laborers Union. Made my heart happy. I was going to say the announcers were good, but then the dude let loose with his Go.....al scream and I had to deduct points for the entire broadcast
Here's where I begin to believe what Olsen is saying regarding his roster. It makes the Asad acquisition make sense in a slightly contorted way. It's the only way anything make sense to me. Keeper: Ousted and Clarke battle it out Fullback: gets no respect in Olsen's world, but Fischer, DeLeon, and Kemp will battle, but not to the level of other positions Centerback: gets no respect in Olsen's world, but Brilliant and Birnbaum will get somewhat tested by Robinson and Opara Dmid: Durkin, Moreno and Canouse battle it out Box to Box: Segura, Moreno, and Harkes battle it out Attacking Mid (3 spots): Asad, Arriola, Acosta, Segura and Stieber battle it out Striker: Mattox and Mullins battle it out. Maybe some fight from Miranda. Anyway, each position (except fullback and center back) genuinely has a competition each week. If you had a stud striker in here like Kamara (instead of Asad) you could have some complacency set in for starting spots. Let's say, for argument's sake, that complacency reduces the output of your midfield and striker positions by 15%. If that's true, Kamara needs to improve the overall performance of the attacking midfield and striker positions by at least 16% in order to create value for the squad. An Asad-less DCU means no competition for the attacking midfield spots and striker spots. If you believe in competition improving performance Olsen may see the percentages working in his favor. On the face, it makes sense and follows the thinking behind most moneyball organizations. It provides me with a little hope at least. We just need the improved competition to be better than a DP striker combined with assumed complacency associated with limited competition in the attack. Key assumption: While Mattocks and Mullins are not as good as Kamara, their output based on competition is close enough while the increased competition in midfield among a top quality crew will significantly improve the overall output of attacking midfielders and the attack overall. * Please note that I will not be posting another positive thing about Olsen until my court mandated requirement next month.
Sure, but it was definitely not an MLS-quality press. There was enough time for the midfield to send some good through balls to spring the strikers and get Arriola loose on the wing to wreak havoc. There won't be as much time to pick out those kind of passes once the MLS season begins.
Looks like Jordan Morris is out for the season and Lagerwey is talking about replacing him with a DP if necessary. I wonder if they would be open to a trade to get some salary off their books. I've always hated Will Bruin. Would really rather see him in black and red than scoring against us. Chad Marshall is over the hill, but he'd be more of a presence in the back than anyone else presently on our roster. And it seems likely the price of an international slot just went up.
Maybe he just tries really hard and Olsen uses him as evidence that hard work pays off? I’ll show myself out.
Dude if I was pr0ner I would tell you that this news has already been posted and that you are not reading the threads carefully. But since I am not him, I won't tell you that
My apologies! Normally, I would have responded that I thought as of 6:30 PM yesterday it was news that he'd been DLd for the entire 2018 season, and that it would make sense to post that in this particular thread to discuss how we might use the situation to our advantage. I also should have linked. But I won't. I appreciate you not telling me.
1) Enjoys pulling the wool over people's eyes. 2) He's a Baaaaad boy. 3) For the shear fun of it. Speaking of blackmail, it doesn't have to end there, people. Small bills into a numbered account.
I'll field that, too. Because we went to a 4231 in a vain attempt to shore up a leaky defense, and Harkes is a terrible 6. Sarvas did the defensive work and his linking play was needed, what with trying to break in Stieber and Arriola. Alternative? Jarred Jeffrey, who consistently proves with his play that he's a better 8 than a 6. He's just too heavy in the tackle and doesn't stay home. Durkin was out of the picture with the U-17s for most of that time, but even so, I don't think we ever intended to play him last year. I think the plan was always to keep it simple for him - Richmond was his team and then he went off to play with the U-17s. Now I'd argue with the 4231 strategy, but as far as I can tell, that's why we played Sarvas.
Interesting. MLS site posted this saying that the mystery Costa Rican left back is in fact Joseph Mora and that he's coming to DC: https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018...set-acquire-costa-rican-left-back-joseph-mora But Goff says otherwise: One source says it's probably not going to happen.— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) February 27, 2018 Curiouser and curiouser...
Speaking of the Durkin being sold rumors being discussed on the yet-to-start-so-irrelevent 2018 season thread: Portuguese outlet A Bola reporting that Benfica is finalizing a deal to buy Chris Durkin from D.C. United. They’ve been in negotiations for some time, deal wouldn’t become official until summer transfer window: https://t.co/aaw1v2dyAn— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) February 28, 2018 (it's a 3-tweet thread, not sure what will show up if I copied one of the other two - but let's find out) Durkin turned 18 after the close of the transfer window, which pushed possibility of an official deal to July. No need to rush a deal through. A Bola story looks more like a bargaining stunt by Benfica.— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) February 28, 2018 Basically he turned 18 after window closed so may be delayed until summer, or may not happen at all - aka the usual