Official DC United @ Richmond Kickers US Open Cup PRE-match thread

Tell me about it!!

~worm~

 

From last year's match, watch out for Jeffery's, that diving fvcker. If we aren't careful, he'll draw a penalty.

Pissed that I won't be able to make it this year. However, I had a feeling of foreboding last year that I just don't have this year. Somehow, after that Chelsea game, I really feel like we are playing greaet soccer. If we can play like that against the best team in the world, I think the scoreline should be prdictable. However, they ARE a good team, just like us last game, with nothing to lose.

3-0 DC, 3-1 DC, depending on who starts in the back 3.

 

Is Boswell out for this game?...or the 8/6 game?

~worm~

 

He's out for the Chicago match. USOC doesn't count towards MLS suspensions.

 

Wonder if Kuykendall will get some good playing time in this one?

 

I don't see why we cant win this one by 2 or 3.
<-- will be handing out shin-guards with the anti-ABMOD ankle protecters later in the week.

I am amped for this one, despite generally hating U of R stadium.

Mark

 

Unlike various folks above I don't see United starting it's regulars outside of Boswell. Two reasons for this:

- The schedule gets really busy starting with this game


- The subs have for the first time lots of game experience from the reserve matches. In fact MLS teams this year have a a big advantage over every year previous with these reserve matches.



So here's a stab at a lineup without knowing about some injuries:

-----------------Perkins

-------Namoff---Boswell----Merritt/Stokes

---------------Kuykendall

Van Sicklen-----Simms-------Thompson

-----------------Adu

-------Kuffour----------Walker


The defense might be different in that whoever might be the central defender in Saturday's Fire game might get (some) playing time there.

And I can imagine seeing Nickell and Arena at some point.

Also I think with Nowak starting Quaranta and not Adu vs Chelsea, he tipped his hand that Tino will be a normal starter now at forward. Thus he stays on the bench for this game, at least to start. I can imagine Tino playing though. Not Gomez or Moreno though. They stay glued to the bench.

Look folks: these games traditionally have had MLS teams use their reserve players. DCU did that last year and have done it for years. Why change that now?


Realize I say this knowing full well that United must make Richmond suffer for what they did to Ocean City last round. We shall water the U of Richmond field with the blood of the Kickers!!!!!!!

 

I agree with Ursula. Get ready for a lot of backups (and of course, the requisite Adu PT in the 2nd half.)

 

so this won't be audio webcast on DCunited.com?

poop.

i kinda figured that there wouldnt be tv coverage, but planned on yelling at my computer listening to the game.

 

Never been there and not sure I can go until day of game: Expecting a sell-out? Tickets available at gate?

 

Usually not sold out in yrs past.
I have never had a problem getting tickets at the game.
Mark

ETA: seating is "General Admission".

 

I think you have good points, but I think Piotr's attitude towards the game is the big question.

He has an MLS Cup as a coach, so nothing new there (though I expect him to go for another).

He was not able to get the CC earlier this year.

He has a chance to win the USOC as a coach (and then get the MLS Cup too).

Piotr is a very driven person so I think he will take this game very seriously. I think that with the exception of those that are injured, we'll see our 1st team on the field. He may even take Gomito just in case.

I see:
---------------------Nicky------------------
Brandon/Brian------Boz------------Wilson
----------Benny-----------Symms---------
Gros-----------------Adu-------------Dema
--------Moreno----------(gag)Tino--------

If Namoff doesn't start, he'll see time in the 2nd.

-dave

 

The game definitely won't sell out since the stadium can hold 22,000. The Kickers are pushing hard to reach the 10K plateau though.

Right now Richmond is in the midst of a terrible offense run. We've scored 4 goals in the run of play since the end of May, and two more on penalties. Of course, the defense has tightened up as well. Our last four games have been 0-1, 0-0, 0-0, and 0-0, with the one being an own goal we scored. The last two games were on the road this weekend against Rochester and Toronto.

The majority of our lineup is probably set for the game. Some of the guys might be fighting fatigue due to the long road trip doubleheader, but our central midfielders, New Zealand international Tim Brown and, of course, Richie, will be fresh since both of them were suspended for both games due to a second eclipsing of the yellow card accumulation barrier. I'd like to see Cowlishaw put this lineup on the field

-----------------Pascale--------------------
TWilliams----Knight------Luzak------Fox-----
---------------RWilliams--------------------
-----Carrieri-----------------Gorres---------
----------------Brown---------------------
-----------Cephas---------Jeffrey-----------

He's been in the habit of using one of two pairs of strikers at a time, either Cephas/Jeffrey or Delicate/Carrieri, although rookie striker Robert Ssejjemba from Uganda is also quite good and essentially a Cephas clone.

As always though, a lot of the match is going to depend on what sort of team Nowak sends onto the pitch. If the first choice is out there, United should win easily. However, throwing a predominantly reserve squad onto the field might lead me to, possibly in a homer pick. believe that Richmond would be their equal if not slightly favored. Obviously its probably going to be something in the middle, but I really feel that this game is going to be decided late no matter what, with extra time a real possibility.

Oh, and when considering lineups and the bench, don't forget that in USOC play each team gets 4 substitutions, rather than the 3 in MLS play.

 

Is anyone getting a group of people together to go to this game? I might just have to call out of work to head down there.

 

see threads on main board about SE van and on the Barra board (under supporters sub-group) for information on rides/carpools (convoy)

 

The attendance at this game might mean the difference between the Kickers staying in Division 1 or moving down to Division 2 next year in order to cut down on the operating costs. So a big attendance and a win gets them another home game against an MLS, w/ another decent attendence.

I think Richmond will play their best game of the year on Wednesday, and and if Novak plays the DC reserves, United will go away empty. If Peter takes this game seriously, the boys in red and black should win it.

 

OK, Doug Hicks confirmed there will be an audio webcast at www.dcunited.com

K

 

That's not good news. While I would go to games here no matter what division they play in I enjoy the fact I get to see First Division games in addition to all the United games I go up to.
And I wasn't aware this rumor was floating around until now.
I predict United exacting revenge for last year's loss and coming away 3-1 or 3-0.

 

Well, I shouldn't have said this since it was only a rumor to me when I first heard it a few months back. I think it has to do w/ all the extra money in traveling this year because it's a single table. I know teams like Vancouver and Rochester have oodles of money, but many teams like Richmond and Va. Beach just can't keep up financially. My apologies for starting the rumor on these boards.

I've been going to Kickers games for 10 years, and they are a 1st class organization in every step of the way. Hopefully these are just rumors and they'll be around to take on DC for the 3rd straight year in the Cup.

 

No apologies needed. It's a fact of business that can't be ignored. When you have some of the lowest ticket prices and attendances in the league and have to travel just as much as everyone else, to a certain extent it's writing on the wall. With Rob Ukrop no longer on the team I don't see Ukrop's being a sponsor long term and I think that has had a lot to do with them lasting as long as they have.

Sorry folks, now back to our regularly scheduled programming.