DC United vs Philly Cheesesteaks

I have a sneaking suspicion that Mullins will start at striker and, perhaps, Le Toux will replace Neagle at LW. And it wouldn't surprise me if Hamid sat another week to ensure he's fit for the remainder of the season. He seems to get injured more often than usual for his position.

 

Excellent Copy/Paste job

DC back in it, 3-1 win. First game I'll miss this season, and hopefully I regret it.

Also my lineup:

Hamid
Franklin Birnbaum Opare Kemp
Jeffrey
Harkes Acosta
Sam Mullins Le Toux

Bench: Worra, Boswell, Robinson, Marcelo, Neagle, Ortiz, Besucher (if fit)

 

Here's my take:

1. Worra looked fine last week. If there's any concern at all about Hamid, I'd keep Bill on the bench.

2. After calling for LeToux up top last week (like others), he looked like ass. I'd put Mullins up top and put LeToux on the wing. Neale was a cipher and has been pretty much all year. Sadly, I don't think Ortiz is the answer in this lineup.

3. Gotta ask -- is Kamara fast? We've seen so little of him that I've forgotten. If he is -- and remember, he's taking up both a senior and an international spot -- maybe bring him up and get him in the game. We need someone to stretch the defense, especially late. Think this would create opportunities for Mullins/Acosta down the stretch.

4. Down a goal bringing in Marcelo is the WRONG answer. Up a goal, maybe also true. Can Buscher go yet?

Philly is an absolutely beatable team. They stink like the idea of having no tailgating at the new stadium. Of course we just looked like crap at home against a similarly bad team. DC needs a big win. Many (DC) goals would help what ails a lot of us. (NB -- many implies many more than Philly.)

At home against the worst team in the conference we simply must put together a better effort. Full concentration, starting at the start. Better passing. Play up to Acosta, vs making him play down to the pedestrian level that we saw last Saturday. Come on, guys.

Last thought: WTF with the weather? Who do we have to pay to get a decent warm and sunny day for a damned tailgate and game? 48 and raining? Again? Sheesh.

 

Hamid really has to stop going to the weight room. The key to a 'keeper is flexibility. Guy is built like a linebacker -- wrong shape for the position. Apparently the key to Ryan Zimmerman's success this year is no more weight room, more yoga and greater flexibility. Hamid's injury history for a position that really should not have any is troubling and should be correctable.

 

3. Seriously, we went to all this trouble to get a player for the Richmond Kickers?

4. Scoring more goals than the other team should always be the objective. Maybe they should put a sign up in the locker room or something.

5. DJT?

 

Or as the easily manipulated, master misjudger of soccer talent at the local fishwrap would have written - Freddy Adu's DC United vs Freddy Adu's Philadelphia Union.
PT Barnum had it right

This matchup may be the posterchild for sedation soccer (like sedation dentistry) get numb early stay numb late

 

3. Agreed about the Kickers.
4. I wanted to be clear in case the soccer gods were listening.
5. At this stage, I wouldn't be surprised. Kinda hard to drain the swamp by adding more water, right?

 

The absentees on Tuesday were as follows: Bill Hamid, Sean Franklin, Nick DeLeon, Patrick Nyarko, Julian Buescher, Rob Vincent, and Eric Klenofsky.

That's a long list of banged-up guys, and I think you can add to that Birnbaum to the non-starter list, as this is his first time back to training. Assuming we don't want to start any of those:

Worra
Korb - Boswell- Opare - Kemp
Durkin
Sam - Harkes - Acosta - Le Toux
Mullins

Bench: OA, Birnbaum, Marcello, Jeffrey, Neagle, Hamid, Ortiz

Ok, so Durkin's not going to happen, but I think fresh off a Concacaf qualifying best IX performance at home against Philly when your starter's in poor form, your second stringer is recovering from surgery is, well, it's A FREAKING SIGN. FROM. GOD. JUST DO IT!!!

 

The team had best show up this week - I have to prepare for the tailgate for two days in the rain, the team should have no trouble doing the same for the game.

The trouble with our strikers not named Mullins is that they all need a second forward to work off of. Well, that's not their problem, that's our coaching problem - we don't seem to be able to adjust to a 2-forward system when we need to. I think LeToux and Ortiz are both useful .. together - but that will have to continue to only exist inside my mind apparently.

I have no trouble with Kamara being at RVA, he probably needs that to get back into 100% game-shape to be more useful to United - but the other forward options not working well right now is definitely bad timing.

Cold and wet in mid-May

DCU: 3
Philthy: 1

Scoring first seems to be what we need to do to not fall apart, so I'm hoping for a 9th minute goal from Ian Harkes, college boy needs something positive to happen, as does the team as a whole.

 

Jesus Christ what a nightmare lineup. Do you think if you traveled back to 2001 or so anyone would believe we would be fielding something like this in 2017?

 

If only. He's out injured too

 

Same recurring hand and foot issue?
Or the refusal to wear cleats in lieu of sandals?

 

Too soon?

 

Korb returns to the 18 supposedly this weekend with all the injuries

 

Gonna rain tomorrow. The whole walking on water thing could come in handy.

Either way, anybody who can turn water into wine is welcome in Lot 8. Bonus if they can turn water into single malt scotch.

 

Don't forget the side.

 

but if you put him on IR for 3 days he'll be good as new

 

Happy to see Korb back in the mix. We need points. 3 of them.

 

Heads up to you Marylanders - e-mail from DCU says the ramp from E Capiptol to 295 north is closed tonight (for your convenience!).

 

Any idea if that will also impact the Southbound ramp? Last game I was at, MPD never created a merge lane for southbound 295, and it might as well have been shut down entirely.

 

The note I got from my ticket rep said the southbound ramp would be open. I'm a northbound ramp guy, so I am condemned to retreat home through downtown DC.

 

Vamos United! Heading down to RFK in a little bit.