Pre-match: DCU vs. ClashQuakes

Well that was special, not exactly a redemption for a shitty season but nice anyway

 

A United player following the shot and pouncing on chances! Topped off with the distance goal....mullins was the first actually performing striker I've seen with D.C. in a minute. Pretty refreshing performance from the team.

 

Back from RFK, surreal experience. For some reason, it felt like it was tonight the last game of the season

 

Interestingly enough, the whole San Jose FO staff was apparently at RFK to watch the game.

 

That's the Patrick Mullins DCU paid after last season's performance. Hot damn.

 

of course, but right now let's enjoy that our striker scored 4 goals tonight.

 

Alright! Warming up for Redbull. Gonna destroy their season and get their coach fired!

Stieber on direct free kicks is a weapon this team hasn't had since DeRo. Hope that plays out.

They should go a middle three of Canouse, Stieber and Acosta, just for me.

 

I'm beginning to see your point of view concerning the midfield.

 

If I am not mistaken that was the same Tommy Thompson on SJ who was owned by Ben Olsen in a match a few years back...I recall the two of them going at it all match only to have Olsen knock in a game winner or something big...he was standing over Thompson taunting him.

Or these are weird memories that only I have...

 

Just returned last night from a 3 week vacation in Italy. Watched the game at home on TV until about the 85th minute at which point it was 3:00 AM Lucca time and I went to bed. If my taking a 3 week vacation in Italy leads to Patrick Mullins scoring 4 goals in a game, I'll start a crowdfunding site to book a return before next season starts.

 

Fastest 4 goals in MLS history.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017...-fastest-four-goals-mls-history?autoplay=true

 

It says it took 15 games to get the first one

 

Nope, that was Wells Thompson I'm pretty sure. Leftover thug from the Nicol-era Revs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Thompson

 

Left foot, head, right foot, left foot - Mullins used all his options.

 

Tommy Thompson would have been 14 at the time Ben was still playing, so I'd say those are some weird memories...

 

Having Acosta, Stieber and Arriola all in there at once gives the opposing defense a lot to think about. If we can consistently finish the chances they create, we could actually score a lot of goals. I guess Hamid isn't coming back, so they need to see if Clark can play.

All my wife could say (repeatedly) was "San Jose must really suck!"

 

Yeah Those San Jose guys are pretty much on fast track for the MLS defensive chumps of the year. They're lighting candles that Mullins nets 5 or better next match

 

Just as I had hoped, when Ben took Acosta out and brought in Sam, he moved Stieber into Acosta's spot, and Zoltan didn't miss a beat. Later, Ben replaced Stieber with Harkes, and things still hummed along. What surprised me, though, is that 35 year-old Marcelo went the distance - again - and was actually pretty good. I'm not sure who is natural replacement is, since he seems to be a hybrid midfielder - not just a destroyer, and certainly not an AM. I could see Canouse filling that role, but then who would replace Canouse - Jeffrey? Vincent? Buscher? And next year Ben will also have Durkin, presumably.

Oh well, it is a nice problem to have. What's most important is that the FO has acquired some young, lively, skilled players who, if they continue to mesh, could make us competitive.

 

They are in the playoff hunt.

 

OK, the negatives:

Although we kept playing OK when Acosta went out, we did so mostly through the wings. Did anyone else think Stieber had trouble getting on the ball? He was in good spots, mostly, but he wasn't an engine. I thought Harkes coming in late improved things a bit.

I found myself getting frustrated with Acosta this game. Would have liked to see him make the easy pass on about 50% of those dribbles to nowhere.

Mullins was fantastic in the second half, but too predictable in the first, and took a poacher's advantage of a tired SJ backline. Can't ask more than 4 goals, but I will. Tunnel vision when it comes to interactions with Acosta. Spin, knock it back to the trailer, whatever. Just do something different every once in awhile.

But that's margin stuff. It's just that those two could be better than what otherwise passes for average in this league, and at the moment, Stieber looks more like a band-aid at the 10 than a real option.

Canouse is turning out to be the catch of the summer, IMO, and Arriola - two pinpoint deliveries on the assists. That's how you do it.

 

I concur about Acosta. Too often he relies on his dribbling skills to penetrate a defense when a pass was the better option. I think he got that way in the bad old days, when he didn't fully trust his teammates, but now, with the new guys, he should realize that they have fully developed skills sets, and a pass to one of them could lead to something very good.

 

The attention that he attracts because of his penetration skills frees up others to receive a pass from him. It is kind of a high-risk strategy but it is also high reward and it is about the only way DCU is going to get the ball in some kind of scoring position other than pumping it from the wings.