Pre-Match: DC United vs. the 'shakes

Discussion in 'D.C. United' started by Untroubled by Reason, Apr 30, 2012.

  1. Untroubled by Reason

    Dec 5, 2007
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wednesday, May 2nd
    At Buck Shaw Stadium
    10:30pm EDT
    Viewable on Comcast SportsNet
    Internet ?
    Story Line: 2 games in a row - check. Three in a row, maybe?


    [​IMG]

    "A stern test for United, this is. The Force in San Jose is strong."
     
  2. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hamid/Willis (I think it might be good to start Willis one more time after his drop off)

    Korb- Russell- McD-- Woolard
    Najar- Kitchen - Dero - Boskovic
    Salihi - Pontius

    Sub1 If you're winning sub Neal for Dero move Bosko in, if losing use Deleon.

    Sub2 Maybe Cruz for Najar if winning.

    Third as needed.
     
  3. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    I'd go with :

    -----------------Willis
    Kitchen-----Russell-----McDonald-------Woolard
    -----------------Saragosa
    Najar----------------------------------DeLeon
    ----------------DeRosario
    ------------Salihi-------Santos.

    I would bring in Bosko pretty early in 2nd half for De Ro regardless of how the game is going. We need to save those legs. Lots of games in May. Pontius and Cruz would be the other 2 logical subs.
     
  4. fatbastard

    fatbastard Member+

    Aug 1, 2003
    Lincoln (ish), Va
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Whatever that animal is, I believe it can hide inside one of its own ears :eek:

    I think a few rotations for this game are needed, no matter what they say about cohesion.

    Leaving Kitchen at right back is possible because of Saragosa (one of my fav pick-ups) - but is it a wise thing to do for Perry himself? I might put Korb in there instead.

    I think you have to rest Saragosa for the Toronto game, I'd insert Salihi.

    I'd love to give DeRo a rest and slot in Boskovic, but can we afford to start a game with no DeRo? We don't seem to get off to as quick a start when he's not there to remind people to look and move forward at all times. Boskovic is not that type of player himself, but he needs the rest of the team to be that way to make his best impression (I think, who really knows).
    If we start DeRo, I'd bring in Najar and see how he does with a start. If we start Branko, I'd stay with Cruz instead.
     
  5. Q*bert Jones III

    Q*bert Jones III The People's Poet

    Feb 12, 2005
    Woodstock, NY
    Club:
    DC United
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa8MjjMajEA"]DCU vs. SJ [/ame]
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. itwasi

    itwasi Member+

    May 9, 2008
    I don't know
    Club:
    DC United
    I'll take nobletea's version of the line-up.

    This is going to be a ridiculously tough road trip (mid-week in SJ, then fly to Toronto for saturday game then to Texas for a stadium opening). There has got to be some line-up changes (last chance for Boskovic; good time for Salihi to start earning his money). I could easily see DC losing the next 3 games. Yes, even to Toronto; they're not awful, plus they'll be desperate, which probably won't be good for DCU.
     
  7. UnitedForever12

    Mar 29, 2012
    Club:
    DC United
    Let me just put it out there that I won't be pissed if we draw this game
     
  8. Untroubled by Reason

    Dec 5, 2007
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Given the results SJ has been getting, and the lack of recovery time between matches, I agree.
     
  9. morrissey

    morrissey Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 18, 2000
    West Los Angeles, Calif
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I say that we start our lineup from Saturday and make early subs to our key players (DeRo, Santos, Pontius/DeLeon) between half and the 66 minute mark. That way we rest those players in the second half but maintain cohesion in the first.

    James
     
  10. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Normally I'd agree, but with a lot of traveling coming up, I'm more inclined to rotate at the beginning. Things could always go wrong (Dudar injury as an example) and then you can't get someone off the field that you intended to spare.
     
  11. Barbieri

    Barbieri Member+

    Jul 8, 2004
    Decatur, GA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And without Dudar, agreed.
     
  12. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd go with tons of changes just to keep guys fresh for the long haul, but I can see why they won't do that.

    ----------Salihi-----------
    -------Wolff--------------
    Neal------------------Najar
    ----Kitchen---Saragosa----
    Woolard---------------Korb
    ---------McD--Russell-----
    -----------Hamid----------

    It's a defensive posture for a road game, trying to keep the game manageable for later when you can make subs to try and tie or get the win.
    If behind at the half, a Bosko for Kitchen sub gets Bosko a chance to do something and Kitchen some rest. If it doesn't get the result, oh well, that's my attitude.
    I would let Neal and Najar go 90 and get Santos and DeRo on as needed.
     
  13. Winoman

    Winoman Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-De!

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's a pretty radical change, but I can see it. No-one is playing out of position, which is a definite plus. At some time the subs need to produce. Might as well start now, early in the season.

    The only change I might make to it would be to start DeRo in place of Wolff, but swap them (or replace DeRo with Bosko) at the half.
     
  14. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A hybrid approach to earlier lineups posted. It could work.
     
  15. uniteo

    uniteo Member+

    Sep 2, 2000
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    don't forget the narrow field...

    I feel like this would be a good game for some rotations (SJ also coming from a Sat game on the East coast, but they had to fly out here too).

    Najar definitely seemed to earn a start with his work on Saturday

    little field might be a good reason to bring in Salihi for Pontius and if Branko is ever gonna get some time this would seem like a good opportunity, to use his skill in a game where spaces will be tight.
     
  16. DCWarrior

    DCWarrior Member

    Jun 26, 2008
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I absolutely HATE LenHart and hope he burns in hell. My least favorite player in the entire league!
     
  17. DCUPedro

    DCUPedro Member

    Feb 12, 2010
    District of Columbia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ------Salihi
    ---Pontius
    ----DeRosario
    DeLeon ----- Cruz
    --------Kitchen
    --------------------^^^
    Woolard----------Najar
    --McDonald -Russell
    ----------Hamid

    This is out there. I know. But I think there are tremendous advantages to having Najar at right back *in this particular situation*. Hear me out:

    -The guy has tremendous work rate.
    - He's hungry to get PT, you just know it, and would probably stand on his head as a GK if we asked him to.
    -The potential for overlapping runs down the right flank to support DeRo in the attack.
    -The presence of Kitchen as a true, mobile, "sweeper" that can cover that flank a bit on Najar's forays forward.
    - The ability to show SJE something they're not expecting on the right flank, while they are worried about what Pontius and DeLeon have been doing to teams on the left.
    - Flexability: Kitchen remains an option at RB. If the attack down the flank isn't working as planned and we are down a goal, you put Kitchen at Right back, move Najar up to Right wing, bring on Saragosa and bring out Cruz. But at least you tried it.
    - Profit?!?!?!

    I know we've tried Najar here before a few times in a pinch. LAG at RFK in 2011 for instance. But I do think its worth another shot in this particular situation.

    We're probably gonna give up at least 2 goals Wednesday. We need to come out and attack from the start, and I think this lineup, while out of the box, gives us a threat to attack from as many points of the field as possible. With Dudar in, I would be more inclined to play straightup and look for something like a 1-1 result on the road. But I think we need to be proactive to steal a point in this spot.
     
    1 person likes this.
  18. quakesfollower

    Oct 10, 2009
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Actually the field at Buck Shaw is pretty much the same size as your home field. A lot of people don't realize that San Jose expanded the field size over a year ago, and now the field plays 115 x 74 yds. That's virtually the same size as Century Link (114 x 74), Crew (115 x 74), BMO (115 x 74), Gillette (115 x 75), BC Place (117 x 75), and Dallas (117 x 74). Jeld Wen is the only really small stadium left (110 x 70). The larger fields that are 5 yards longer, measuring 120 x 75, are Rio Tinto, Dick's, Livestrong, Toyota, PPL, Home Depot and Red Bull. Here's the Wikipedia page with the stadium info .

    Before the change, Buck Shaw was closer to 110 x 70.

    Looking forward to this match, but it will be interesting to see how many of the first choice starters on both teams are given a rest. While I'd like to see both teams play their starters, with the new playoff format both teams could see their Saturday mathces against Conference opponents as more important.
     
  19. DCUPedro

    DCUPedro Member

    Feb 12, 2010
    District of Columbia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm no SJE fan, but I have to admit a soft spot for Lenhart. He's sort of a throwback to the English center forwards of the 70's and 80's -- somewhat slower guys with suspect footwork but had size, a good work rate, and some guile to match. You'd never confuse him for playing the beautiful game, and he has some **** to his game. He certainly isn't going to take anything from anyone and will bite, scratch and claw in order to win.

    I don't want a league full of guys like this. I don't even want one playing for United. But having a dude like Lenhart around the league adds character, in my opinion.
     
    1 person likes this.
  20. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just wanted to add that the playing field dimensions for San Jose Earthquakes home games didn't simply change from 110 x 71 yards to 115 x 74 yards (close to the ideal 120 x 75 yards) in one offseason, but was rather a gradual progression over the years as listed here.

    Unfortunately, the game at AT&T Park earlier this season featured, as will the upcoming June game at Stanford Stadium, a too-small playing field at or near 110 x 70 yards. :(


    -G
     
  21. Q*bert Jones III

    Q*bert Jones III The People's Poet

    Feb 12, 2005
    Woodstock, NY
    Club:
    DC United
    He plays more like Carlos Ruiz than Bob Latchford.
     
    1 person likes this.
  22. griffin1108

    griffin1108 BigSoccer Supporter

    Dec 5, 2003
    Virginia
    In the Salihi thread I had a similar lineup save for Bosko in midfield and Kitchen back at RB. I could go with this one as well. What is essential is to keep both DeRo and DeLeon on the bench for this one. DeRo is getting up in years and DeLeon looked completely gassed about minute 75 on Saturday. He'll hit the rookie wall at some point, but Olsen doesn't have to drive him into it head-on. SJ will be tough and this lineup is designed to steal a point with fresh legs sprinkled through it, especially up top. I might still use Willis just because he's had more work with the defense lately and whoever is between the pipes will be dealing with a patchwork in front of him. I just think Willis has fewer brain farts than Hamid so you run him out against Lenhart and Wondo.
     
  23. Anthony The RN

    May 19, 2010
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [LINEUP-4-4-2]Salihi, Pontius, DeLeon, De Rosario, Saragosa, Najar, Woolard, McDonald, Russell, Kitchen, Hamid [/LINEUP-4-4-2]

    My take on the starting lineup. I would like to see Kitchen over Korb at right back only because Korb is horrendous at marking for crosses (as seen from previous matches). SJE's forward combination of Lenhart and Wondolowski poses a big aerial threat - got to have physical guys out there. Start Hamid due to his quickness off the line. I would like to see DeRo play no more than 60-70mins. Hoping DeRo can replicate what he did in San Jose last year.
     
  24. uniteo

    uniteo Member+

    Sep 2, 2000
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I did not know this
     
  25. DCUPedro

    DCUPedro Member

    Feb 12, 2010
    District of Columbia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I believe I used the word "Guile," which I think is apt. I'm not one who thinks that gamesmanship of this sort is am illegitimate part of the game. There will always be guys that have that element to their game. And if it helps the team get points, whats wrong with it? There's a ref on the field for a reason.
     

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