I think this is actually a pretty good DC United team. Unfortunately, this draw with NJ and 6 points from four home games falls under the "could have been worse, but not good" category. I say they are pretty good, but that's not accurate. I think they really could be. They look more dangerous in possession than they have in ages. The team is actually adapting to use Acosta's strong suits (mostly his passing), same with Nyarko and Sam (speed to bring width - early to tell with Sam, but I thought he looked reasonably good), and I think Mullins is showing up in the spots where he should be and striking a good balance of trying to score and being willing to be part of the build-up instead. The past few weeks, DC has made it look like they can play on the level with some pretty good teams, and not by bunkering and conceding possession and hoping for a lucky goal. The problem is, they only look that way. The goals that have come have been, mostly, the same slop or set piece goals that have been DC's forte for the past few years. I mean, again, plenty of you bring more nuanced analyses to table than I do, but DC has started to have an attractive attack, in my opinion, but I've yet to see a goal from it. Lots of blown chances, to be sure, but no goals. Regardless, I think lately DC has made their opponents more respectful in the build up and have actually looked a little scary. Conversely, the defense is a problem. Franklin and Kemp have looked like defensive liabilities to me. DC has been allowing a lot of space in the wide areas, which heretofore hasn't been a great problem. It's bugged me, but when crosses came in, the ball was pretty reliably cleared out. I feel like now there are a lot of crosses bouncing through the box or finding open men. DC doesn't really have a central back pairing that I have tremendous confidence in at the moment. There are talented defenders, but they don't appear to be on the same page anymore and it seems like there is a lot of blown marking. I don't know - were this another team, I would have a lot of hope for next season, playoffs or no this season, because I think there is some real talent that is starting to gel and a team that actual has a structure to build on. I don't know if I have faith in DC to capitalize on that in the off-season or even really hang on to the players that are running the team engine right now.
Didn't say Pontius was better, or as good. Just said it's a formation that suits him. Pontius is a pure inside forward in the sense of the word. In a 4-3-3, I think it's a good idea to have one of the wide midfielders to actually be an inside forward to compliment your striker more consistently. The IF needs to be good in the air and extremely athletic. If you want the most out of Pontius, it's the formation. I think a wide formation like this is difficult to play in MLS (Olsen actually plays it pretty narrow) as you need above average wingers and outside backs with solid/strong, two-way middle players. (...and the 4-1-4-1 announcers/folks are talking about is mildly different than a 4-3-3 that's trendy in Europe right now. In true form, Ben's put a more direct, defensive slant on it.) Here's what's popular in Europe: ----------GK -------CB---CB RWB---------------LWB ---------CM(playmaker) -------CM---CM Winger-------Winger/IF ---------Striker Here's what Ben runs: ----------GK RB---CB---CB---LB ----------DM Winger---CM---CM(playmaker) ---Winger ---------Striker Ben puts more defensive responsibility on the wingers, but expects just as much from them on the offensive end as a traditional 4-3-3. That puts a lot of pressure on the outside players. They have to be strong, athletic, and in fantastic shape. I also think that's why we have more injuries out wide. When you demand so much and guys play tired, that's when they get injured. Ben has no other choice though. Our central players aren't good enough to allow our wide players to take some time off defensively. We also play so narrow that wide players struggle to get into good attacking positions in transition because they're already so narrow just as we take possession of the ball. It's easier to defend our wingers because they are always starting out in the middle of the field.
The underground drainage system at RFK used to have pumps that would literally suck any standing water off the surface through the sand and gravel down into the pipes. I remember seeing this during a Houston game (about 10 years ago?) when most of the stadium power got knocked out during a big thunderstorm. There was standing water inches deep on the field. When the power came back on it, all the water went away with two minutes. What's happened since then? Not doing any maintenance because RFK's going to be abandoned?
Pontius also benefits from a true high quality very physical center forward in Sapong and two "playmakers" in Ilsinho and Barnetta who have the ball skills to draw a lot of attention. Most of Pontius' goals this year have been from being left pretty wide open on the back post, or in transition where he's in space going at a scrambling defense often sprung by one of those playmakers. Sapong especially is great at making runs in between the central defender and outside back which draws that outside defender away from Pontius. We do play similarly here to what Philly is doing in my opinion but we would need a forward who is going to draw double teams and Sam would have to be more of a consistent threat as a guy who makes plays in order for Pontius to replicate his success at Philly now. Well, that and he'd have to stay healthy here too obviously, something we haven't seen in a con's age.
Baseball hosed up the drainage is what I've heard quite a bit over the years. It does seem like it has been a problem since Baseball was in RFK.
One of the curious things about getting old is that you remember the oddest things. Watching the 'Skins on TV, I remember an announcer commenting that RFK had a "state of the art" drainage system. Of course '60s state of the art is not todays, but I don't remember us having these problems until the Nat's came to town. Does anyone remember the Dynamo game a few years ago that was postponed twice. We were talking about that during the weather delay. Something happened during the third attempt that delayed the finish. The Metro was closing early so I had to leave. I went to that game 3 times and never saw the end. asitis edit: I guess I missed John L's excellent post. Now I remember why the third attempt was delayed. Memory is a curious thing.
We may be remembering two different Houston games. The one I remember was postponed mid game. After the rain stopped, staff members tried to squeegee the water off the field to no avail and the game was postponed until the next day. It was postponed again, but I didn't find out until I got to RFK. Hence 3 trips. It's a 3+ hour trip to get to RFK for me. Good times asitis
Yeah, IIRC it interfered with the base anchors and pitcher's mound...Baseball don't need no pesky drainage system. Something about being made of sugar and melting, I think.
I think you're thinking of the Superliga match with Houston in like 2007 or 8. I remember we played Houston like 4 times in August that year because of Superliga and one of those games kept getting hammered from the weather. That one the field didn't drain for crap, but the Nats had just left I believe. Nats were here from 2005-2007 or something like that. I think the game John is referring to came before the Nats ever came here. I didn't know that there were pumps, but I do remember the power going off during a Houston game and there was flooding everywhere, including a few floating raccoons, but magically when the power came back on the field was essentially water free when they came out to resume play. That's my hazy memory anyway. I'm too lazy to go look it up, but no doubt someone will or maybe they have a better memory of it. Where's buckethead when you need him? He'd give an elephant a run for his money in terms or remembering freaky details like that.
So RFK doesn't have a functioning drainage system and RBA only has one snow shovel? What are we, rivals as to who is least prepared for intemperate weather?
What was so negative? It was a fair assessment. 100% expected a win that match due to the way we've been playing (performance, not points), and NY missing McCarty and I think another starter, and playing a first team away in the CCL midweek. We should have won all 4 games off this homestand so far, and didn't. 6 points dropped isn't negative it's a fact.
The best part of this game was watching Felipe getting pegged right in the nuts at one point during the second half(Thanks Kemp!). That alone was worth the price of admission.
Best part of the whole day was when a NYRB who came to provoke was punched in the face twice while security was taking him out; the guy who punched him was also taken out but we were at the end of the game anyway
The guy who threw the punch wasn't a member of a supporters group. The RBNY marketing rep provoked a regular fan into punching him.
Yes, I know, I had never seen him before. We are in the same section dude (127-128). I didn't realize the NYRB guy was actually somebody working for their club, I thought he simply came all the way from their section to be a pain in the ass. Wouldn't be the first time. Security is all concerned about us not standing on the seats, but they're never around when some rival team supporter comes to provoke. Not that we really need them, but at least don't eject us if we punch somebody's face.
A fair assessment of the game. I don't think so. Expecting 100% to win, with this team, in MLS, I don't think so. They were missing McCarty, granted he can be a pain in the rear, but the team played half starters half subs in CCl midweek and besides they are professional (playing two games in a week should be doable). DC United was dominating until the weather delay. The playing field after was a disadvantage to DC United. The team went down 2-0 and still came back and tied, that is a huge plus. Again we as fans have to be realistic. This team is not the team of the glory years, I wish it were too, but it's not. We may never get some team like that ever again. Don't get me wrong, I would have liked for DC United to have won all four games, but being realistic in this league, for the team to win four home games the team needs to be playing at a higher level, and they haven't been doing that. Finishing efficiency needs to be upgraded drastically for that to happen, it has not happened yet. The team is playing more attractive soccer and creating more opportunities, we haven't seen anything like this for quite some time. Let's hope they can improve on it.
Security pulled a dude out of section 205 near the end of the match. He was seated several rows in front of me and I didn't see the offense, but he looked totally drunk as he was pushed up the steps. It was good that he was inebriated, as he was big and muscular and could have put up a fight against the two security guards if he had been able.