Projected lineups and formations for '14 season

Discussion in 'D.C. United' started by Boloni86, Dec 13, 2013.

  1. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    It's early days but with the cap money we've already spent already the '14 team is already shaping up.

    So far I'm seeing more of the 4-5-1 in our future. This is the way it looks to me:

    ------------------------------------HAMID
    FRANKLIN----------JAKOVIC-----------BOSWELL------------KORB
    -----------------------KITCHEN-----------ARNAUD
    DE LEON-----------------------SILVA-------------------------PONTIUS
    ----------------------------------DOYLE

    The bench is probably : WILLIS, WHITE, KEMP, JEFFREY, NEAL, PORTER, SEATON

    My priorities going forward would be :

    1) Need a natural left back. I'm more comfortable with Korb being the guy on the bench that can cover either fullback position in case of injury.
    2) I'd like to get a natural left winger. I'd like to see someone push Pontius for minutes which could potentially allow Pontius to compete with Silva for the more central role and even compete with De Leon on the right.
    3) Still need a top striker. Doyle should be the guy off the bench.

    That's pretty much it for the starting lineup. The rest is probably just depth.
     
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  2. GumbyG

    GumbyG Member+

    DC United
    Mar 22, 2007
    Chesapeake, VA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is a good priority list. I'm not a set as you with the natural lefties. Alston, for instance, could play left, and might be a better investment that Pierce, if we're in talks with the Revs to get him. But these are our most vital needs. As I've said elsewhere, depth this year isn't about starters and everyone else, it's about the guys who start most of the games and the guys who start the rest. We've got a pretty congested schedule to contend with. For that reason, I think we also need depth at centerback, or yet another additional d-wing (with Franklin providing that depth).
     
  3. DangerMouse37

    DangerMouse37 Member+

    Jan 22, 2004
    WDC / Barra
    Don't see who on this squad scores goals. If our hope is to win a bunch of games 1-0 like in the last few seasons, I predict continued suckitude.

    Can we PLEASE get a legitimate scoring threat (or two?)
     
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  4. GumbyG

    GumbyG Member+

    DC United
    Mar 22, 2007
    Chesapeake, VA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why is everyone on this board trying to jeopardize the coveted Wooden Spoon?
     
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  5. Bootsy Collins

    Bootsy Collins Player of the Year

    Oct 18, 2004
    Capitol Hill
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #5 Bootsy Collins, Dec 13, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2013
    I agree with all the above, but I think there are other concerns: that list of priorities should be longer. In particular, I'm not yet sold on the ability of that Silva-Arnaud-Kitchen triangle to hold possession against pressure, and to move effectively off the ball and move the ball well between themselves. I still want 2006 Christian Gomez back, dammit.

    One other thing: it's probably late at this point, but I wish there was some way to get Ethan White to England or Italy this summer for workouts. Based on what I saw of both players this past year, my suspicion is that the Jakovic-Boswell tandem isn't going to be as good as we hope. It'd be nice anyway if White were pressing them for time; but we may end up needing him in a bigger way than we think. I think it couldn't hurt for him to spend a month or two at a club that does a decent job of developing central defenders.

    EDIT: "this summer"? This winter. WTH is wrong with me?
     
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  6. cwnunited

    cwnunited Member

    May 9, 2004
    We need another forward, winger, and two Andy Najar's and we'll be straight.
     
  7. fatbastard

    fatbastard Member+

    Aug 1, 2003
    Lincoln (ish), Va
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Here's our biggest threat to repeating for the Wooden Spoon :D

    http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/soccerusa/id/3973?cc=5901

    Dream Team
     
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  8. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    Won't be laughing if an Onalfo led Chivas finishes ahead of us in points again.
     
  9. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Give me two more strikers and I'll live with it. United may have to do some mixing and matching with wingers, but Espindola and another first team striker and I'll stop bitching.
    Arnaud isn't better than Jeffrey in my eyes, but I'm probably wrong about that, and it's no secret I would get Jakovic out of town at all costs. At least, Jakovic has shown his potential - before pissing it away. So there is a remote hope there.
     
  10. griffin1108

    griffin1108 BigSoccer Supporter

    Dec 5, 2003
    Virginia
    Last season was so bad it turned you upside down and you think you're in the southern hemisphere.
     
  11. Murr

    Murr Member+

    Apr 14, 2007
    Houston, TX
    Club:
    DC United
    We need to bring in at least two proven forwards.

    Imagine this board if we got that in back to back years

    The white whale, Captain Bootsy. The white whale.

    Espindola and EJ up top would work for me.
     
  12. Heist

    Heist Member+

    Jun 15, 2001
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I like your lineup and I think that's a team that can compete game by game. Its not a playoff team, but its not a laughingstock... or at least it doesn't have to be one.
    I like your priorities, but I'd list them as: striker, left back, left wing. I'm hopeful that the three guys can bring a little veteran leadership to the team and locker room. The team seemed to have no real mental core last year. Perhaps its because DeRo was the captain. Will Kitchen take over that role, or Arnaud? Not sure who else you'd give it to actually. But maybe that doesn't matter a lot anyway.
    With our first pick, I'd like to take Mullins. The guy just knows how to score. He's a different style than Doyle, and maybe doesn't fit perfectly as a holdup forward, but he makes great runs off the ball. As a UVA fan, he's absolutely killed us in big games this year. He's a local guy and we know Terps do well in MLS by and large.
     
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  13. Winoman

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

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think I would take Mullins, too, after only seeing him last night. He has scored a bunch of goals during his career at MD, however, so he does have a decent record of scoring. I think he and Doyle could work well together, playing off of each other, up top: Doyle more of the back-to-goal, hold-up forward, and Mullins as the run-at-goal striker. I think they would both get a lot of chances on goal, that way.
     
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  14. Hedbal

    Hedbal Member+

    Jul 31, 2000
    DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I like Mullins also, but I'm sure Benny and Chad have doubts about his defense.
     
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  15. Bootsy Collins

    Bootsy Collins Player of the Year

    Oct 18, 2004
    Capitol Hill
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I didn't watch the match last night. But I think it's worth remembering that there have been lots and lots of fantastic players at the college level who haven't panned out in MLS. I'm not remotely suggesting Mullins won't; but you can't be sure he will, either. So while Mullins may be a great choice for the pick, you don't use the draft to provide a proven goal scorer/midfield general/anything else.
     
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  16. Hedbal

    Hedbal Member+

    Jul 31, 2000
    DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree (see Garey, Jason), but Mullins makes great runs off the ball, something we've not seen consistently since Salihi was let go. I also saw some very clever passing.
     
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  17. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I did learn some things that will translate. His touch is immaculate. He makes cerebral runs, and when given service, he finishes.
    Now, will he be able to get separation, or can he be easily marked out of a game? Maybe. He doesn't look like a lone striker type, he likes to combine with one touch as opposed to fending off defenders until teammates arrive. Lots of people have said he has speed, but I didn't see that at all.
     
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  18. Bootsy Collins

    Bootsy Collins Player of the Year

    Oct 18, 2004
    Capitol Hill
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fantastic. Those are all great reasons to pick him. But none of them are reasons to think that if we do pick him, we've got the proven goal scorer we need. That's all I'm saying.
     
  19. Bootsy Collins

    Bootsy Collins Player of the Year

    Oct 18, 2004
    Capitol Hill
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    An American with good touch? Come on now.
     
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  20. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Believe it..........or not!
     
  21. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Also re: Mullins. He completely resembles the love child of Bobby Boswell - Bobby Convey in the face. He has to play here, right?
     
  22. griffin1108

    griffin1108 BigSoccer Supporter

    Dec 5, 2003
    Virginia
    That was what impressed me the most. The guy looked like a professional out there, not just a good athlete who was physically better than the other players, he had real touch, made smart runs and has far more pace than Doyle. He even did one back to the goal flick on with his leg to another teammate that made me say -- pick the SOB, he knows how to play.
     
  23. Heist

    Heist Member+

    Jun 15, 2001
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Definitely not sure he will make it. Its hard to be sure about any college player making it in MLS. Mullins seems a little slight for MLS and will have to learn to play against bigger, faster, and more physical players. He does seem to have something about doing well in big games that's hard to define and hard to replicate so he's worth a chance I think. I don't know a ton about the other top rated prospects, so perhaps he's just the one I've seen the most that others also regard highly.
     
  24. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The second goal was sublime. 99% of players try to meet that ball in the air, chest it down, and 99% of the time the opportunity is wasted. The geometrical calculation he did in his head while the ball was in the air was Bergkampesque, I got way too excited about that.
    Every United fan should see that goal.
     
  25. Hedbal

    Hedbal Member+

    Jul 31, 2000
    DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agree on the second goal. It took a great deal of patience to anticipate the bounce and bend his run so he could be more behind the ball. But his first goal showed great mental awareness. When the goalie comes out like that most players would try to round him. But Mullins saw the better opportunity: a cheeky chip, perfectly weighted, with the outside of his left foot.
     
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