Pre-Game Thread: 4/15 Dynamo at DC United [R for 4/8 games]

Bugger I was thinking about the RSL game when I voted. 2-1 Houston but it is going to be a tough game without DeRo.

 

I think if Houston scores first they will have a good chances of winning the game we will see what happens on saturday.

 

DCU had San Jose's number last year, for whatever reason. Without DeRosario, it will be interesting to see where the offensive engine comes from. If the Houston defense had been shutting teams down, I'd be more comfortable predicting a narrow Houston win. But, they have not been doing so, and DCU has a pretty strong offense that can come at you many different ways. I expect Houston to keep it close, but expect DCU to win.

The chance for Houston to win would be if Davis is back and is able to help generate some offense with Ching, like the two of them did early in the year last year. And if Robinson is back on defense, maybe that will help to solidify the defense and shut DCU down. I don't think that's what will happen, but it could.

 

Taking points out of RFK is always a tough chore.

With De Ro out, we are missing our conductor for the train.

I'm thinking 1-1 if our back 4 hold. Jaime Moreno has never given me a reason to dislike him as long as I have followed MLS. I hope he doesn't turn up money against us...I've enjoyed his play over the years and don't want that to get up an walk away with us dropping more points.

VIVA HOUSTON!!! VIVA TEJAS!!!

 

As I recall last year in DC, they packed the midfield with five midfielders and basically dared us to play over the top. We had a few great chances early, but just missed, and when they scored, we deflated in the heat and humidity of DC.

I suspect DC will play employ the same tactics this year.

 

Well, hopefully there is no "heat and humidity" right now. So that should not be a factor. I Tivo'd the first game against Colorado and watched some of it - my wife and I both broke out laughing when one of the announcers said Ching had adapted to the heat and humidity of Houston very well - LOL Yeah - uhhh we haven't even started getting warm yet . . . Anyway, I hope Davis is ready to come back and play some substantial minutes for this game.

 

Saturday wather shouldn't really be a factor.
The game should be a good one.

DC Weather for Sat. 4/15

Day

Isolated T-Storms
High
78°F

Precip
30%
Wind:WSW 12 mph
Max. Humidity:49%
UV Index:7 High

Night

Mostly Clear
Overnight Low
56°F

Precip
20%
Wind:WNW 9 mph
Max. Humidity:51%
Sunset:7:45 PM ET

 

Your post was the first I knew that they had updated the injury report, thanks.

The word on the DC boards (from the Steven Goff chat at washingtonpost.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/04/07/DI2006040701312.html) is that Rimando is out.

Here's the quote.

For those of you unfamiliar with his work. He's in the pantheon of American soccer writers.

 

I cant wait until United comes to Houston in the summer and its 96 degrees and humid they will love it!!!!

 

We're not going to Houston until September 30th, I dont know Houston weather but I know it will be a lot better than having to play there in July or August.

 

While Houston is notorius for there oppressive humidity, we here in the DC/Baltimore area know all too well how uncomfortable it can be during the summer.

I dare say our July thru early September isn't all that dissimilar to yours.

 

July and August weather in Houston and the DC area are actually quite comparable in terms of heat and humidity. In Houston, however, the weather in late September is very likely to be identical to that of July and August (every now and then a Canadian Norther comes down out of the Great Plains in September or October and sends the nightime temps down into the 60s or maybe even 50s - but this lasts for like 1 day and then we're back into the 90s)... whereas in your neck of the woods, you actually have 4 seasons. Here, summer starts in late April and lasts for about half the year. Then our three months of fall starts sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving and lasts until late Janurary. Sometimes we get about 72 hours of winter around Groundhog Day, and every now and then winter shows up for a few days just in time to ruin Spring Break in early March. Of course, spring starts sometime in late February, and then it comes back AFTER Spring Break and lasts for about a month. And then, sometime over the next two weeks (late April)... summer will be back for another six months.

 

Oh Boy! Hurricane season.

BTW - The game in Houston is scheduled for 8:30pm. Humid? yes, but killer? no.

 

Well I am back =)

I said I would not come back but I love Houston Sports =X

It will be hard since the Astros are going on at the same time but I will support the team again =)

 

I knew you were full of crap when you said you were going to boycott.

No real soccer fan can suppress the longing for watching professional soccer in his/her hometown.

Anyway, welcome back.

 

As far as I know Rimando is still out. I'm guessing DC will come out with a slightly different line-up than they did vs. Chivas. I didn't see the game, but I heard the game was a few lucky bounces (or maybe even good calls) away from being a tie. There is getting to be a lot of pressure on Peter Nowak to start Freddie Adu, especially because he's been involved on many of the goals. The problem is the same as last year though (how to get Freddie and C. Gomez on the field together). I think we might see Adu start in place of Filomeno, possibly giving him another shot at outside mid or forward.

Without DeRo, I think we'll field a 4-3-3 (which could easily shift to a 4-4-2).

-------------Onstad-------------
--------Robinson--Serioux--------
--Gray-------------------Barrett-
--------------Clark--------------
--Mullan------------------Davis--
-------------Cerritos-------------
----Ching--------------Moreno---

Cerritos is more than capable of playing an attacking mid/target man role.
Clark will be in charge of shutting down Gomez or Adu.
Davis and Mullan will hopefully give Ching some good service, and Moreno will hopefully pick up some trash in front of the net.
Barrett and Gray will both play wingback roles, but neither will be able to go up as much as they have in previous matches. DC will be tough to shut down.

I think our main chance in this game is to outscore DC. I'll be surprised if this match is defensive. Let's take advantage of Perkins' inexperience.

 

DC : Houston - OKULAJA/Ganser/Ellis/Canales

And you folks thought you had referring related issues in the first two games

 

Substitute Waibel for Robinson and I think you have it.

 

I think with Serioux playing along with Clark in center mid field, and Davis and Mullan on the wings, Gray and Barrett as the outside backs, that Waibel and Cochran will get the nod in central defense.

Waibel looked good at the tournament in Charleston and with the tough result last week, may get the nod. Ching and Moreno should start up top.

Barrett and Gray give an attacking option; generally, when one overlaps on attack, the other stays back.

This is a great line up and could handle the tough away assignment.