I liked seeing our boys fight hard for balls at the end: lots of jumping and winning headers in front of our goal in the last 15 minutes. To me, that is the sign of a team that believes they can win. This is very different from teams of the last two or three seasons. This was my first opportunity to see this team in person, and they did not disappoint.
I didn't like how our goal was under siege for large parts of the second half, including most of the late game.
As others have said, going from 2-0 to 2-2 would have killed any of the teams from the past few years, but this team never really doubted they were going to win it. Salihi didn't get a goal, but wow his runs are beautiful. He should get an honorary assist on Santos' goal. Also, the loud side was rocking last night. Fantastic job. Lastly, I think Boskovic has earned himself another contract. Probably not at what he's getting paid now, but not too much below that. In a league with parity like ours, his dead ball service has added a whole new dimension to this team. I can't remember the last time that every single dead ball situation in an opposition half may lead to a goal.
Agreed. They still haven't learned how to lock-down a win yet, but I think it is almost there. They had the right ideas, for the most part, but then would come the thoughtless/unnecessary pass/touch which would turn the ball over and allow NE to keep attacking. Example: Najar, who had the ball deep in NE's corner, touched the ball straight over the endline, instead of shielding the ball and running a few more seconds off of the clock. Make them kick it out of bounds for a throw-in/corner-kick, and eat more valuable time off of the clock. That being said, the teams of 2010 & 2011 would have lost the game last night. I am encouraged. Agreed. DU/LN/SE/BB brought it for the whole match. I'm used to it by now, but I was still impressed.
I agree, but you will concede that this does happen from time to time in this league and many others around the world. The team with the better "talent" gets put under pressure and has a hard time getting themselves out of trouble. I give full credit to the Revs for pushing numbers forward and not really caring if United scores on a counter. In some ways, that is probably the best way to attack United. I wouldn't suggest doing that but the situation called for that. If not for that monumentally stupid attempt from McDonald to switch the attack and fed the counter for the first goal, I doubt that game plays out the way it did..
Also, for the past 4 or 5 matches, we've seen this team defending corners with both posts covered. Last night they went away from it and they scored to the far post. Any player (even Mike Burns), would have had a routine clearance from Soares header. Frustrating to let little details like that slip cost us another goal (the game-winner in the opener was due to no player on the far post too).
Najar's still my favorite player on this team but somebody needs to tell him to put a little spice on his service into the box. Last night he had about 5 or 6 brilliant mazy runs that get to the endline and his service is basically a pass to the 1st defender. And Salihi was open at the goal mouth for about half those runs. If you're not going to cut the service back to an open trailing runner, then you have to lift the service over the first defender and away from the keeper.
Another key part of the set piece service is teams will have think a little more before they hack someone down at midfield. ++++1
Another factor last night was the integration of Korb into the offense. I lost count of the times Korb was the recipient of a pass to change the point of attack and a few times he made a number of deep penetrations into NE's defense. He's still raw, but I see a little Namoff in him. (Rot in hell Jack Jewsbury for kicking him in the head and ending his career.)
I sat 3 rows behind the Birthday Section for several years. While I get that parents can't control potty break with little ones, stuff like the 20th (and 25th) and (38th) minute runs for snacks would drive me absolutely nuts. Also, if you get there 20 minutes late, don't just barge in to the row when the ball is in play, or stand there in a group of 6 trying to figure out where your stupid seats are........ Not that this is strictly a United problem either. I see it at basketball and baseball games as well. The Nats have started holding people at the top of the section during at bats so that they don't block the view of other fans. While I don't think that they have the timing down yet, I like the thought process.
IMHO, it was evidence of a failure of composure on our part. I agree completely with the folks here who have said that in years past, after giving up two goals at the beginning of the second half, we'd go on to lose that match. And yes, there's a lot to be happy about in that we didn't. But we still aren't where we need to be mentally, and evidence of that is in two things: the way in which the first goal was given up; and the way in which we were under siege late in the game. To follow up on the latter: at halftime, I blathered on and on to several unfortunate people about how happy I was with the comfort we were showing with the ball at the back. Many times, players who could have just hoofed the ball towards midfield instead held possession and passed it out. Late in the match, we dropped that, and frantically cleared balls out; but that simply meant that NE got to start their attack all over again. Holding possession, and moving off the ball to give the player with the ball options and thus help maintain possession, was as far from folks' minds as possible. That sucked. To follow up on the former: Watch him throughout that play. His awful pass to the opposition started their attack; his sailing off into dreamland during the final sequence of their attack, leaving Sene alone to do whatever he wanted to do, sealed our fate. McDonald was awful on that play. Yeah, he did a lot of good things too over the course of the match; but you don't get to take time off mentally at this level, let alone if he still has aspirations to play in Europe.
Gotta love Santos. He is playing with an attitude. You can see the confidence in his body language. His goal was a beautiful team goal involving DeRo and Salihi, but it would not have been possible without Maicon's gorgeous turn that split the defense. Not many players in MLS have the skill/composure/audacity to try that move under pressure. Bosko service on set pieces have been solid. Not quite as consistent as last week, but can't complain as this lead to two goals. He has also been an integral part of our possession game. His poise on the ball in tight spaces has been exceptional. Hope it continues. Vamos United!
I was going to multiquote, but am too lazy. What was said about Salihi's runs is spot on. I don't know if that guy laces magnets into his shirt, but he's been drawing defenders and opening spaces up all year. Obviously, someone has to take advantage of those spaces - in games past it has been DeRo, but obviously was great work by Maicon Santos in this one. I agree that Boskovic is an asset. He's a good player. But his price tag is still high (unless his wages are negotiated downward), no matter how good his set pieces are. I won't be stunned if DC decides that he is a luxury that they can't or don't want to afford. Also, he doesn't play like a "Ben Olsen" man. He's more inclined to show for the ball in a deeper position than sprint down the field when DC gains possession. I don't mean that as a criticism, just that Olsen seems to prefer players who sort of "turn and burn," driving up the field as quickly as possible to catch the defense disorganized and Bosko seems like more a patient build-up guy. I would like to keep Boskovic, but it's not my money and/or I don't know who else DC might spend that money on. As for the defense being under siege, although I think that both Jakovic and McDonald are starting quality centerbacks, they don't inspire confidence when they play together. Even without the big lapse that led to the first goal, I thought it never looked like they were in control - like they were always playing reactively, often unable to end threats until the ball entered the 18.
After the Santos goal, it never occurred to me that NE would score, despite all their possession. (Of course, I was a more than a bit surprised when Hamid had to make that fantastic save around the 89th minute). Other than that one opportunity, they really didn't have more than a couple of half-chances. I was generally pleased with the Chronopoulis-In-The-Middle that DC played after Wolff came on.