I don't know whether our passing and buildup look so bad because all the build up in the USWNT game was so much smarter and faster, or we just don't have anyone who can read the game. Anywhere.
We're deep...unfortunately, we're deep in the sense that we don't lose much quality by going to our second and third tier players. Take that as you will.
What a crock. Losing twice to that outfit is embarrassing. Especially 1 man and 1 goal up. Play defense from cripes sakes!!!!!
Things must be really nice in Richmond since there are a bunch of guys who don't want to stick around DC.
That was a fiasco. Doyle still sucks, and one or two goals don't change that. Our defense got beat way too much. Why not put in one first teamer for the second half? And what's with waiting until minute 80 for our FIRST sub? Its not like the team was looking good out there. The ref gifted us a soft red on their best player. We responded by playing like we were watching the game on tv. REALLY not impressed with Jeffrey, Doyle, or either of the outside backs. The team looked bad, and our coaching was equally poor. REALLY poor. BOOOO!
I think the season just got easier. I know some of you love the Cup, but it's a drag. Focus on the league and MLS playoffs. We don't need more midweek matches.
I don't follow. The chance United will win something just narrowed (because we can't win the Open Cup). But our schedule congestion is less than if we had won this game. So in that sense, the season just got easier, right?
Embarrassing Those fullbacks deserve a flogging. Robinson especially … You're not expected to be good but you're expected to be busy, to run hard and work hard. That's how you compensate for being a 3rd stringer. He was jogging around like he's Thierry Henry. That to me is an alarming sign of someone who maybe has talent but does not have the mentality. Ayuk was basically toying with both our fullbacks like he was Messi. Again … at this level that was embarrassing We were also lacking ball winning in central midfield. If Halsti plays he needs a Kitchen next to him to compensate. Halsti has quality but I don't think he's adjusted to the tempo and physicality of MLS yet. Maidana was getting way too much time on the ball. Say what you will about Arnaud he at least would have made life a lot harder for Maidana physically
Maybe this is so, but we should be competitive for this Cup. Not expecting the world of Mishu or Robinson, but Coria, Jeffery and others really looked shaky and surprisingly uninvolved -- compared to Philly's team that ran hard throughout. Think Ben blew the chance to win this one easily when some smart changes earlier in the second half could have settled us down and likely gotten to 2-0. I want to see us win every game we play, even if its pickup.
The big picture of the value of the Cup is irrelevant. The point is that the ref gave us a gift man advantage and 2 minutes later through a lucky deflection we find ourselves up. How much more of an invitation do you need from the soccer Gods? That was an extremely poor performance from many of those players, and at least for a couple of them it raises doubts about whether they can be counted on at all for anything ...
I still struggle to feel confident about the team's play going into any game. They're not going to win MLS Cup. The only thing left is best record in the East. They have a nice lead right now, but there are going to be significant changed to some teams and as I said before, I struggle to feel confident about the team against any team. Four games in 10 days and mostly weak lineups on the road and during Open Cup games. I don't put too much into the team/players being tired or Ben's player selection and usage changing. This was potentially the easiest route.
The WNT were generally calm on the ball and showed creativity and real ball skills in the midfield. They had some nifty passing and got a clean sheet against a top notch opponent. They looked like champions and played with intensity. If you thought they looked awful, you'd better not watch the highlights of this game.
That's cute and witty. But not true. Don't tell me for a second that because our 2nd and 3rd string were that bad it changes the quality of most of our starters.
Learn from this one and move on. Learn about tactics and about a few of the guys mentioned above. Although Jeffrey I think we really already knew about. I was disappointed in Coria and Halsti. They both could/should have been leaders out there. Credit Philly for working hard.
The soccer part aside, I don't think it's good business to field a line-up laced with minor leaguers and call it DC United. We are last in the league in attendance. With a new stadium on the horizon we need to go after every trophy to try to build some buzz. Yes, the schedule is congested, but here was no need to start Robinson, Jeffries and Mishu tonight. We have quality depth, this was the time to use it.