Official DC United vs Chicago Fire PRE Match Thread DC United vs Chicago Fire • Saturday, June 7, 7:30EST • "Our next game at home is going to be huge for us"                                -- Ray Hudson on this match. • Live on CSN and Shootout • DCUnited.com Match Preview - Including TV, Radio and Webcast Information • DCUnited.com Media Notes: DC United • Chicago • MLSNet Match Notes • English Webcast - WMET • Other Webcasts • PBP Chat Information This post will be updated later in the week for corrections and additions. Items in gray will be updated once available or confirmed. No Flames • No Trolls
I know. It's going up a day early but I'm tired of thinking about the Dallas match. Various and Sundry Notes and Queries ... So what's the roster situations? We're now without Convey and Stewart. Is Nelsen going to be allowed to play in this match? I didn't think he'd be released from the NZ camp but there's been some suggestion to the contrary. For instance ... http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/02/sports/soccer/03SOCC.html We're getting Etchevery back - for better or worse. Chicago is without Beasley and Armas. Did I miss anything? Someone on the Fire board predicted the following lineup ... ...............Thornton ...Brown . Curtin . Gray . Perez Whitfield . Pause Williams . Mapp ...........Razov .... Ralph or D: Whitfield . Brown . Curtin . Perez M: Williams . Pause . Gray . Mapp Chicago has looked really good these last few games. Granted, they're losing Beasley and Armas but I'd suggest that reports of their lack of depth have been somewhat exagerated. They remain a solid side. Is Stokes coming in for this match? What are the chances that Namoff and Carroll get some time? How about Barclay? Etcheverry will go back in the center this time. Has anyone heard anything particular about his recovery? Is he back up to 100% yet? Or, at least what constitutes 100% these days, anyway. Without Convey on the field we're going to be lacking in offensive spark. I'd love to see Olsen give Hudson a reason not to sub in Stoichkov in order to provide that spark late in the second half. Esky needs to have a big game. Somebody needs to organize the defense. (Hey Petke! How about you do that?) We desperately need to win this game. Nevermind the hole we're currently in. Can you imagine blowing this match and then having to play Colorado on Wednesday? It would be very tough to bounce back from another loss by mid-week to play well against even as weak a team as Colorado. (Though, they too have looked better recently.) Same defense as last week. No Convey. Therefore I predict a loss ... 2-0 Nonetheless, may we not suck ...
Well, maybe Convey or Stewart will play. Hopefully Convey. At least Nelsen is back. That should help. But this should be ugly.
Re: Official DC United vs Chicago Fire PRE Match Thread There, that's better. A Justin Mapp brace fires Chicago to a comfortable road stroll ... 3-0 Chicago. Ed (Come on, I gotta be wrong at some point!)
I think Chicago is deeper than people give them credit for and that Sarachan will do a good job getting players to perform. We can't give Razov freekick opportunities. I know he hasn't scored off one yet this season but damn he's dangerous with them. Esky breaks his duck, but we still lose.
We're also without Bocanegra. Your potential Fire lineups are still correct. On the one hand, the Fire have been playing a squad of a few vets surrounded by rookies and we've looked rock solid against struggling opposition. On the other hand, we have three fewer vets now for our line up and DCU is desperate for a win at home. All our defenders except Pause are experienced players so we may not miss Boca all that much (I hope!). With DMB gone, though, the Fire may struggle for goals. Right now, I fear Olsen more than Etch or Stewart, if Earnie plays.
I pray to God that Arena releases Convey for the match cause he should be able to tear up a midfield of Whitfield, Williams, Pause and Mapp. That's not a very intimidating lineup. Convey should have his way quite easily with them.
Since it sounds like Etch will be playing, then Bobby will be on the left wing and will have to work to get the ball. If Bobby is not released then what do we have Etch, Nelsen, Ben, and Dema. Not giving me much confidence.
With all due respect to young Mr. Convey's obvious quality, if it wasn't for the fact that Logan Pause has been very quietly shutting down guys like Preki, Chung and Lagos, I'd agree with you. Without the pairing of Armas and Pause together, our midfield is now more about offense than defense. And Bobby would still have to then get past Brown, Curtin and Perez, all of whom have been playing well for us. Still, if both Olsen and Convey play, that would be cause for concern.
I'm guessing each team will get one player back for Saturday. With Pope leaving last weekend's game with a knock, Boca would seem a less-likely release. Still, I don't think Arena will allow either Convey or Stewart to play for us without giving Chicago back either Armas or Beasley. With Etch back in, even it we do get Convey back, I could see Hudson going with them both in the middle of a 3-5-2 (the way we finished well last season).
I guess the question is will Pause look as good without Armas next to him. He has looked good in the games I have seen but this will be a test for him. If you are worried about Olsen then you have not seen DC play lately. He has not taken on a player 1 v 1 in 3 or 4 games. Back passes and safe square passes. We are not sure if he is injured or mentally screwed up. I agree that your defense can deal with the loss of Boca with maybe Gray moving in there. Yes you lose something but you should still be strong. Still, we kick your ass 3-0.
If Bruce releases Convey for this game, what are the chances that they use Marco's recent surgery as an excuse to give Bobby an entire game in the middle running the show? I know that if Bobby's not available they'd play Etch even if he had to carry crutches with him out onto the pitch, but if Bobby can play, would they give him the chance to play in the middle by himself and recreate the kind of magic that he showed in the second-half last week? You know Chicago would be much more nervous facing Convey in the middle than Etch. Let Marco heal, give Convey the armband and the reigns and let's finally get three points! Cherno
This will be my second United match of the season. If it ends up 0-0 like the Dallas match I was privleged to attend I'll scream. Anyway 2-0 to United & a little OT but can't wait to get down to Richmond on Sunday for my first Nat match!!
If Marco plays, Razov should be able to mark him out of the game since that's about all Marco is good for. Stand at the backline and hit long balls to our 5'8 strikers.
I had to look twice to make sure this didn't say "raging, stormy sex." I predict an offense consisting of sending high, lazy crosses into the box.
Chicago 4 - 2 DC Urinated (If we're missing Convey and Nelsen) Chicago 2 - 3 DC United (If Nelsen and Convey play) Chicago 2 - 2 DC United (If one of either Nelsen or Convey plays)
If I was Arena getting ready for the Confed cup (Which the US is taking pretty seriously) I can't imagine leaving Convey out of the mix after his game last week. Nor can I imagine including Earnie in the mix in his recent form. Maybe a US snub will do Stewart some good and he'll finally find form and stop holding his head in his hands. If Nelson's back, 0-0. Else 1-0 Chicago, from Razov.
Well, my guess is that we see Stewart on Saturday, not Convey. I'd also guess that Beasley is released for the game also. (I'm thinking that Arena would like to see Razov play since he hasn't played with the Nats for a while). Unfortuantely, this setup does not bode well for us. I have seen nothing at all that makes me think that United can win a game without Bobby. I'm guessing Santino isn't healthy either. Even with Ryan, I don't see us stopping DeMarcus for 90 minutes. This game is going to be ugly. Without an effective attack, Chicago can play more aggressive and constantly attack our defense. While, our back 3 or 4 may be strong, they have no support... it's like having a football team whose offense can't get a first down, the defense will get tired. This game will be an embarrassment to DC United and the team might start hearing boos at the end of the game, if there are enough bodies in the stands left at the end of the game. We lose at home United - 0 Fire - 2 Our cup isn't half full, or half empty... it's completely empty. I hope I get some optimism before Saturday, or I will be miserable at the game... maybe I'll just have to tailgate harder, so I won't be able to really see the game.