DC United v. Dinamo Houston PRE-Match Thread

Let's see, five reckless tackles resulting in season ending injuries, then Abbey will come out of his coma, see someone with his shirt untucked and red-card him for "disrespecting the game." This should be a classic.

 

well then maybe you need to give the people what they want.

 

You're right. I'm just as guilty as the rest.

 

i don't think its a question of guilt. i think there is an argument that the increased strictness of moderating the pre-match thread has actually reduced the amount of "analysis" discussion rather than fostering it.

there was a time that the pre-match threads had a bit of balance between more light-hearted banter and those that wanted to do more analysis. since that time, there has been an emphasis on reducing banter and focusing on "serious" discussion. i understand the motivation but it would seem that the effect has not occured as intended.

i'm not trying attack you or knave i'm just saying it would seem that the policy or implmentation of the policy is not consistent with the desires of the user community.

 

Well thats good, considering this is Big SOCCER.

Thank you, I will be here all week, enjoy the veal...

 

Match Preview

Houston makes first trip to face D.C.
MLSnet.com Staff

D.C. UNITED v HOUSTON DYNAMO
RFK MEMORIAL STADIUM, Washington, D.C.
7:30 p.m. ET (HDNet)
April 15, 2006 (WEEK #3) / MLS Game #14

The inter-conference matchup features two teams who have shown impressive form in the early season. D.C. United is still undefeated through two consecutive home games to start the year, coming off a 2-0 win against Chivas USA. Houston Dynamo also played their first two games at home, but followed a rampaging win against Colorado with a last-minute loss to Kansas City last weekend after they were reduced to 10 men.

REFEREE: Abbey Okulaja.
Games involving United: P6 W1 L3 T2; FC/gm: 37.8; Y/gm: 4.8; R: 1; pens: 2
Games involving Dynamo: first game
MLS Career: 43 games; FC/gm: 31.1; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 3; pens: 12
MLS 2006: 1 game; FC/gm: 39.0 (avg: 32.8); Y/gm: 4.0 (avg: 3.75); R: 0 (MLS: 3); pens: 0 (MLS: 0)

SAR (bench): George Gansner; JAR (opposite): Joe Ellis; 4th: Roni Canales

INJURY REPORT: D.C. UNITED - OUT: DF Bryan Namoff (L groin strain); GK Nick Rimando (L mid-foot sprain); DOUBTFUL: DF David Stokes (R quadriceps strain); FW Santino Quaranta (R hamstring strain) ... HOUSTON DYNAMO - OUT: FW Julian Nash (L hamstring strain); DF Chris Aloisi (R foot fracture)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: HOU: MF Dwayne De Rosario (through April 16)

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME: first meeting

This is the first of two meetings this year between the clubs, the only one set for RFK Stadium. They are scheduled to face each other at Robertson Stadium on Sept. 30.

Coaches record: Peter Nowak vs. HOU: first meeting ... Dominic Kinnear v DC: P5 W1 L2 D2
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Evidently this is the first meeting between these clubs. Way to foul up continuity, MLS stats keepers. Or is this just a cheap and easy way to leave the Landon Donovan years behind?

Thx,

Jay!

 

Part of the deal with the move was that San Jose would keep its history in the event of a new club being placed there.

 

It is the first meeting. Houston is technically a new team with its own set of records. SJ's are being kept in the event that that team returns in the near future.

EDIT: Spidergoose beat me to it.

 

That's crap! I understand why the NFL did it with the Browns, but in a League that is 10 years old...? They should have disbanded the franchise, created a new one in Houston and set all the players up for dispersal.

Then again, it gives DC one more team to dominate.

Thx,

Jay!

 

Why would you do that? So all SJs players go into a dispersal draft and then every other team has to designate players for an expansion draft. Houston would have been a shell.

 

It's killed both types of discussion - serious and banter - both threads are completely dead this week.
There are a few "serious only" people and a few "stupid banter only" people. The rest are like me - some discussion, but with funny stuff thrown in - it's more like an actual discussion in real life that way. I think we tried to set up a think tank and a kiddie pool instead of one big public pool
The banter people should feel the need to bring their stuff up a notch with the rest and the too-seroius people should learn to laugh and ignore things and read on - separating them isn't helping either.

Wow, only meant to type a few words. Ignore and continue reading please

 

You mean the 2004 MLS Ref of the Year? I still can't figure that one out.

 

Same people who voted Amado Guevara MVP and Greg Andrulis Coach of the Year.

 

Change of Easter Weekend plan, I am going!!! Whoohoo!!!

BTW- Anyone check out the buy-one-get-one-free ticket deal from the Washington Post for this game and against Dallas? I wonder if we'll get good attendendce this game with the offer despite Easter Weekend?

 

Your friend wasn't from Derry, by any chance? ;-)

 

Nope, just fashion conscious

 

DC has never played Houston before, I don't see what the fuss is about.

This should be a pretty good game. DC has been inconsistant in how effectively they've attacked, but have certainly looked better with Adu on the field. This is exemplified by the fact that Freddy is behind 75% of United's goals this season so far, and all indications are that he's going to start.

This is what I think we'll see from DC:

Goalie: Perkins

Defenders: Gros, Boswell, Erpen, Prideaux

Mids: Olsen, Carroll, Gomez, Adu

Forwards: Moreno, Eskandarian

DC is at a huge advantage that DeRo is out for this game. Mullan has been doing well on the wings for them and it will be important to cut out his 1 v. 1 situations with defensive help as well as funnel the ball towards the opposite side of the field when Houston has the ball and have Adu try and press him back when DC has the ball.

Freddy Adu becomes huge in this game because if he can help out at all defensively, Mullan can be shut down and their midfield will be a lot less effective. Also, he's been one of DC's best offensive players so it's important that he maintains this. I think at times, especially when DC needs offense, he should be played kind of like how Arena uses Beasley with the National Team, very forward but still helping out on defense some. Hopefully this would force Mullan back into double teams on defense way back in his end.

Eskandarian appears to be getting back to form, which should help Jaime Moreno and Christian Gomez a lot. When Esky was ineffective last year, teams were able to key on Moreno and Gomez and leave Alecko to be. Think the Metros game last year when DC outshot them 28-8 (including about 8 from Esky) and United tied 0-0. Was Zack Wells having an amazing game or were they making Moreno and Gomez's life tougher while letting Alecko shoot and miss? It's probably some sort of combination but the point still stands, that when Eskandarian stretches the defense with his runs, Gomez has better passing lanes and options and Moreno has more 1 v. 1 situations where he thrives.

Perkins looked a lot better last week than he did versus New York (although that's not saying a lot), so hopefully his form continues and there aren't any gift chances to Ching or any other Dynamo players. After not getting much good service and not looking all that great on Tuesday for the US, I'm sure Ching will be looking to impress Arena by maintaining his dominate MLS form and any easy things he gets he'll put away.

 

If only people would remember that. If I had a nickel for every time somebody brought up San Jose's attendance & stats I'd have enough money to fly to DC for the game.

I think it's going to be a good game. Houston is definitely going to miss DeRo but hopefully can win its first game on the road.

 

Is there a link to show me what bars carry FSC?

 

Serioux has been prettty solid through 2 weeks of action. However, I think RBNY traded Serioux b/c they wouldn't have had him come next season. I believe the league wanted Serioux in Houston with DeRo and Onstad to form a good nucleus of players for Toronto next season...

 

Do you have a link? Or a date this was posted in the print edition? Thanks.

 

FSC Pub Guide

But, this match isn't on anything but HDNet

 

I would not be surprised if Wilson started for Prideaux this time. Wilson is faster and gets up on the attack better, although he is not as good a pure defender as Prideaux. But the Mullan factor, especially if Brad Davis plays, necessitates that the sides of the field be shut down to the Dynamo.
If Adu and Gomez keep the attck creative and work with Moreno/Esky to move the ball and create chances, we can use the width of the field and keep their back 4 under stress all game. Gros and Prideaux/Wilson will do well to shut down the sides, and Carroll/Olsen will shut down the middle, allowing Adu and Gomez to float around with less defensive responsibilities and more freedom to create.
I'd also look for Filomeno to figure in this game, especially if Gomez or Adu don't produce the offense. Jamil Walker as the ever-present supersub, and Clyde Simms to shut the door if we get a second-half lead.
This is a game that we should win, Ching/Moreno/Cerritos are a great offense, but if they don't get the service then they won't get it done. If Brad Davis or Ricardo Clark don't break out with career-game passing, I don't see how they can threaten except on a broken-play situation. We are very strong in the middle on defense, and their flank play won't be as dangerous because we know going in that we have to stop it to win. The key to me is our speed of possession and usage of the width of the field, eventually it will produce chances and then goals.

 

has CSN changed their minds about this game????

cuz i just found out i can't make the game, and i'm really really really pissed off, is there a way that CSN can put the game on? what is CSN showing sat nite neways???