These are the type of matches to pick up 3 no matter what. An expansion team, at home and the team is playing Ok. Montreal leads the league in fouls, has a mark for DeRo who has promised to be physical (also leads the league as an individual in fouls), so if Montreal makes it a fight, DC still has find a way to get all 3 points. Here is to early goals by DC to take the hacking out of the match should it occur.
So Jakovic and White won't dress but Dudar gets upgraded to questionable. I'm rooting for Dudar ... I'd love to see him start this game. It may come down to the trainers doing the last minute tests before the match.
from DC United's Facebook page: TV update: Comcast SportsNet has lifted the usual in-market blackout, so the match will be available to online via MLS Live and Direct Kick. http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/ and D.C. United Tonight's D.C. United match is on CSN+ COX Cable in Fairfax County has chosen not to find an alternate channel to broadcast CSN+. Contact Cox and ask for D.C. United and CSN+
Changes: DeRo paired with Pontius up top, McDonald & Russell in central defense, Boskovic & Najar starting. Interesting. I'd be really glad to see this line-up click and REALLY make Ben's choices hard.
DCU: Willis; Korb, Russell, McDonald, Woolard; Najar, Kitchen, Boskovic, DeLeon; De Rosario, Pontius. Subs: Hamid, Morsink, Salihi, Maicon Santos, Cruz, Neal, King. This is a team that could give up a couple of goals, I'm not feeling all that comfortable with that central defense pairing, and honestly I think DeRo needs a rest.
I'd almost be more comfortable with Woolard in the middle: at least he has enough go to clean up mistakes sometimes. I can totally see McDonald whiffing on a play and Russell being too rooted with that glacial pace to his to do anything about it. Hopefully Kitchen works his behind off and limits Montreal's possession.
Too many lineup changes. Why didn't Santos start? He's the closest thing we have to an in-form striker. You have to ride him while he's hot because when he get's cold it'll make CD9's closing form last season look stellar in comparison. Thx, Jay!
We look like a** so far. Our makeshift defense looks horrible defending crosses and the skipped header, and our midfield can't hold possession.
Wow, big crowd tonight at the game... I thought this was D1? I wonder if they are throwing paying fans ($42. seats) out of the stadium tonight because they want to stand and watch the game from the Champions Club area?
That whole defense is sleepwalking especially the fullbacks. What happened with Woolard's intensity? Too many backpasses from Kitchen. It's also obvious that frontline was a bad decision. I understand sitting either Santos or Salihi, but not both of them. You need a pure striker in front of goal to challenge those CBs. De Ro and Pontius are both essentially midfielders roaming everywhere except inside the 6 yard box.
Well, in fairness, we are playing our 3rd and 5th choice center backs, and they are shaky. I totally agree about the forwards. I hate DeRo at that withdrawn forward, he needs to be at AM so that he can get more touches. Put Sahili or Santos up top with Pontius, and let DeRo do his thing in the midfield, since they currently are sucking.
The good: energy from Pontius and Santos. The Bad: losing out on two points. The ugly: everything else. I think Neal deserves some more looks.
More good: Robbie Russell moving inside and playing well. Even so, I think we were a bit lucky to tie. Arnaud had two great chances, the first high and the second wide. Usually he buries those. Also, Corradi was a handful for being 36. Why did we have to wait for Santos to start shooting from distance?
I should have made it clearer: why didn't anyone take a crack from distance before Santos appeared? DeRo, Boskovic, even Pontius have done this before. Instead, our only strategy was to work the ball in as close to the goal as possible before shooting. Mix in a few tries from distance and the defense would have to respect that possibility, which might have opened up more lanes. Just sayin'