What: DC United at Chicago Fire FC When: Saturday, April 1, 8:30 EDT Where: Soldier Field How to watch if not visiting the Windy City: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV How to listen: 1190 AM, 104.7 FM, iHeartRadio Forecast: 38° and partly cloudy, wind gusting to 18mph (40 mph gusts and chance of snow earlier in the day) What in the name of Peter Novak is going on by the shore of Lake Michigan? The Fire have five points in four games, and won last week over the fightin' Beckhams. That was without Shaqiri, too. Conditions seem likely to be "brisk" Saturday night, but if Taxi, Benteke, & Klich get significant time together I think maybe the offense could have a mini-breakout performance. 3-2 good guys, with goals by Benteke, Asad, and Taxi overcoming another wobbly night from our back line.
The match was "previewed" on Extra Time today. Much discussion from the Chicago side, not much on DCU. There was a follow up on the Lewis O'Brien move. Doyle analyzed how he thought Rooney would play with O'Brien. A 4-3-3 with Klich and O'Brien a double pivot ahead of Canouse as the 6. He then added that none of this mattered because DCU would be eliminated from playoff contention by the time O'Brien's loan expired. He also mocked Rooney's additions of Ravel Morrison and Victor Palsson last summer as desperation moves. He did add a nugget -- at least Rooney is calling the shots because before "6" different people were calling the shots on roster building in DCU. This whole organization is such a pathetic joke.
We are on the road against a bad Chicago team. Own goal gets a brace for each team. 2:2 draw and everyone agrees to never speak of it again...
It was a joke. Rooney making the decisions may be ultimately unsuccessful but it is in line with most teams in the world. DC earned their place as whipping post. That said this analysis is lazy.
Of course that raises the issue of, if Rooney is picking and he is a lame duck, what does his successor do with Rooney's roster? It may be surmised that Carl Robinson is the "coach in waiting", but given the diversity rules in MLS, and the way DCU sort of skirted them in picking Rooney midseason last year, any "heir apparent" machinations will be given fairly strict scrutiny. Rooney certainly has put his stamp on this team, but if it all goes south, it will be a hella mess to fix over several seasons.
This'll happen three times this year. But if it allows us to hold a higher line and run the offense we want, I'm alright with the keeper play. If.
In his prematch presser, Rooney said they were trying to sign one more player but he wasn't sure if they could get it across the line. Just thought it was interesting.
D.C. United lineup: Miller; Ruan, Birnbaum, Pines, Greene; Durkin, Palsson, Klich, Asad; Fountas, Benteke.Subs: Bono, Zamudio, Sargis, Canouse, Santos, Hopkins, Ku-DiPietro, Fletcher, Robertha.Injured: Williams, Akinmboni, Hines-Ike, Jeahze, Najar, Rodriguez.#dcu #mls— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) April 1, 2023
dang, announcer just called us the wooden spoon winners...ugh. anyway, looks like there are about 851 people in attendance.
Didn't they move back to Soldier field to improve attendance and be in the city? Or am i making that up?
taxi takes a yellow for kicking the ball away after ref calls a foul. Took a minute to recognize Pines after he has cut his hair....
Our buildup is god awful, just desperately booting it up to Benteke and hoping something happens. It's almost worked once or twice but not super fun to watch