..... bers of Portland (Oregon) When: #WeWinWednesday August 15 Where: Volkswagon's Less-dependable Sister Field, DC Time: 8 o'clock PM-ish, depending on storminess TV: The station formerly known as NewsChannel8 I think of poor innocent trees being maimed when I think of Portland and when you search for things like that you get pics like this and tv/movie fake baby animal-things worked last week, so ........ you get this instead of the cute sleeping baby Lynx picture. Portland is pretty dang good this season and we just played one of the worst games we've played this year against a really bad team and, outside of 34 seconds of last-minute brilliance, almost lost while a man up if not for a great tackle by our DP defender It's our second of 3 games this week. So, of course - we win! DC - 2 greenish team - 1 Can I also mention that I ********ing hate Giovanni Savarese, the cheating metro bastard, and I hope he gets an acute kidney stone at 35,000 feet while flying out here?
I'm expecting a hybrid lineup, with Hamid and Vytas making their debuts but some of our usual suspects in the 18 but on the bench at the start. Sunday was physically and emotionally draining. and it may be asking too much of them to go again after so brief a rest. As I said elsewhere, Rooney may still be in an ice bath. At least one of Arriola; Stieber; Acosta; Asad; and Canouse may not start. We could see Durkin; Harkes; Segura; and/or Moreno.
I don't see how you don't play Vytas against the team that traded him and that he is unhappy with for not providing enough time. If he's fit he should play. Billy Ham starts because. That's all the reason anyone needs to give. Rooney - depends on how recovered he is whether or not he starts. I am sure they had the day off yesterday and a light work out only today. But messing w the Acosta/Rooney juju is not something the soccer gods want to see....
Bill Hamid will start Wednesday vs Portland Timbers, Ben Olsen says #dcu #mls— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) August 14, 2018 Meantime, Steve Clark did not train Tuesday and has been waived. Olsen did not comment. Another MLS club is likely to claim him via waiver process. If that occurs, DCU frees up some cap space for possible free agent moves before roster deadline next month.— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) August 14, 2018
Did anyone besides me think Vytas was making his debut as a late game sub on Sunday night? One of our fullbacks was being pulled for a blond replacement. Ulises Segura.
He's had it for a few games now, but I did have a similar reaction when he was put it the first time with it - basically "who the ******** is that?"
I’m the last thing from a SJW but Bill’s Muslim. Probably wouldn’t appreciate the nickname. Thx, Jay!
Lets try: .........................Mattocks................. Asad............Acosta...................Stieber .............................Rooney..................... ...................Conouse............................ Mora......Birn......Opare...........Fisher ..................Hamid.................... Arriola was an extra wheel sunday, if a wing is tired lets try him there again... jr moreno at dmid move canouse up if central midfielders are tired... new guy at left back maybe.
DC United Overall: 1.05 points per game, 18th in MLS. 5 W - 9 L - 6 D Home: 2.17 points per game, 5th in MLS. 4 W - 1 L - 1 D Form July/Aug: aD hW aL hL hW aD hW Portland Overall: 1.76 points per game, 5th in MLS. 10 W - 4 L - 7 D Road: 1.30 points per game, 7th in MLS. 3 W - 3 L - 4 D Form July/Aug: hW aD (aL USOC) hD hW hW hL Looking at the relevant home vs road points per game, this is the 4th toughest of our remaining 11 home games, slightly tougher than one against the NY Red Bulls. (See the thread on not needing to outrun the bear for more details.) If all goes as projected, we'll end up needing results at home against both Portland and the NY Red Bulls, with a win against at least one of the two. For me this ends up being a play-very-hard-for-a-win-but-take-a-result-if-necessary home game against a pretty tough opponent. (To put it another way, unlike Sunday against Orlando in what was really a must-win game, we won't want to pull the goalie with a minute to go with tie score against Portland.) By the way, this weekend: Philadelphia hosts NYFC in a reasonably tough game for them (projected draw). Montreal hosts Chicago in one of their less challenging remaining home games (projected Montreal win) Sunday's game against New England is a game we should and must win. And finally, in other predictions, 538 is showing: DC United win 43%, Portland win 32%, draw 24%
I really like Arriola, but I was really disappointed in a lot of his play early against Orlando--lots of wasted passes. I like the idea of Rooney and Acosta both distributing and switching off to keep Portland a little off-balance. (Maybe less of our attack will end up going through our backup right back over and over...)
Will Metro be semi-functional tonight? I'm trying to figure out if I can take my bike on the train from Federal Center SW to East Falls Church after the game ends. I don't think that was possible last weekend due to trackwork in the middle of the system - but didn't bother with investigating it too hard. Just rode my bike back home getting in after midnight covered in road grime.
Asad and Stieber kept drifting inside clogging the middle. Arriola kept drifting outside to find some offensive space. He made some nice unrewarded runs and did muff Fisher’s perfect cross. Of all the midfielders last Sunday, Asad was the least impactful. His constant sliding inside left Mora stranded having to cover 2 players in space oft times.
Another big game for us. A win vaults us from 11th to 8th in the east and puts us in a real playoff conversation IMO. Portland were 15 games unbeaten....until they lost a home derby match and had to play on the East coast 4 days later. Good chance for at least a draw. I think we'll see some changes wth a bigger focus on getting a massive win v the Revs. Hamid Fisher Birn Opare Vytas Durkin Segura/Steiber Moreno Acosta Segura/Asad Mattocks Ousted, Brillant, Mora, Harkes, Canouse, Arriola/Asad/Steiber, Rooney
I think you can rest Assad and put in Arriola. Assad nearly had one of his patented goals on Sunday early in the game. But with these two and Canouse & Stieber we have a lot flexibility in the flow of the game and as subs.
Rumors of a work slowdown as well to support the Union's protestations of Metro's "favorable" treatment of protesters last weekend. Hard to tell if it is actually in effect. I guess that's why snails don't have brake lights