Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] A-MEN BROTHER! UNITED IS THE GREATEST FOOTBALL TEAM!!!!
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- :: Conference Finals :: [NE vs CB -R-] Send an e-mail to tickets@screaming-eagles.com And the game, according to MLSnet.com, is at 7:30 PM, not 7.
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- :: Conference Finals :: [NE vs CB -R-] Now, you're bringing tears to my eyes
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] I would've thought by now that most of you had visited the Barra site. Anyway, check out http://www.barra-brava.com/gallery/index.asp?cat=23 for the hardware. Then check out the rest of the site -- the best damn supporters' group site on the Web! GM
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] I prefer playing NE in the Conference Final to Columbus for several reasons. 1. We're at home--and that's a huge advantage. 2. Columbus has been "on" for the past month or so. Even though Andrulis has very little to do with it, they've been playing with confidence. And that makes them a very tough team to deal with. 3. We've played NE well. That said, here are my concerns about NE... 1. With Pierce and Johns, their central defense has stabilized. That's a concern. Until the last month, their backline was in tatters. Expect a very physical game and those two seek to throw Moreno and Eskandarian off of their game. Also, expect NE to try to play very compact. 2. Noonan. In the last NE home match against DCU, Noonan made Gros and Prideaux look very bad. He's very willing to drop back into midfield, collect the ball and run at people. And then Twellman will run and hustle and look to snap up a half-chance. This team (NE) is only looking for 1 goal--and they're okay if it's against the run of play. DCU will need to upgrade our offensive play for me to feel comfortable about beating these guys. I think NE will play to try and make this a 1-0 game. They'll be compact, won't push forward too much, use their bodies a lot. I do think this means we'll own midfield. The big question is: what will we do if we own midfield (and possession) but NE stays compact and looks to counter quickly with direct soccer to Twellman or Noonan? That's where losing Nellie hurts a lot--he's the insurance against dumb play on the backline. I think Stewart will match up on Noonan's side and that means Gros might play right midfield. Although I like Ezra more at central defense (b/c of his organizational ability), in this match he might be a better fit outside. The reason why is he'll get up and down the flanks quickly and has a better chance of being able to go forward and be a threat in the air (which he can't do from central defense--unless it's a set piece).
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- :: Conference Finals :: [NE vs CB -R-] To borrow a bit of the MD football team's slogan... THIS IS OUR HOUSE!
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] Avery John made some bad decisions today. They didn't look imposing, but Twellman played better. To me NE is a dangerous club to play because they are still improving this late in the season. We are going to need some Magic from the boys next Saturday. Its a good thing, because that's something we have A whole Helluva lot of.
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] Joe W: EZ on the right side in defense? Would this mean switching Namoff to the left side (where he played last year but not at all this year) and Petke in the middle, or sitting Namoff and bringing in Prideaux on the left? Or do you mean having EZ replace Stewart at right midfield, as he did Saturday (inexplicably to my mind). Who then would play left midfield? Gros, with Earnie sitting? I take your point about EZ being a threat in the run of play only if he plays wide, but I don't think I want to begin wholesale shuffling of players out of their accustomed spots.
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] Amen, you should read the Crew boards screaming for Androoling's head, scrotum or any other body parts. Thanks, Dante for signing with C-bus and talking the "genius" into starting you over Buddle in a must win game. Also, thanks Tony for signing there as well and convincing the fool that your best position is A-mid and penalty kick taker.
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- :: Conference Finals :: [NE vs CB -R-] As much as I hate to agree, you're exactly right. I'd love to see Nowak get it, but Gansler's done an amazing job with that team.
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] Good thing DC never never gets penalty shots (although, I think Rimando could've shot better than Sanneh). Just in case, La Norte needs to give Riese hell. I'm a little worried about Ezra or Prideaux in the back. I think our mids will need to work extra hard to hold posession and stop NE outside the box. I think Olsen will have something to say about that. If anyone sees Freddy at any parties this week, grab him by the ear and take him home. The fans, especially the Supporters Groups, really brung it last game. I watched it all from the mezzanine and couldn't stop grinning. If we win the big prize, all the Barra, La Norte, and SE members should get to keep the Cup for at least one day each!
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- :: Conference Finals :: [NE vs CB -R-] My ticket says 7:00. I'll be there in time for a 7pm kickoff just in case.
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- :: Conference Finals :: [NE vs CB -R-] They must have fixed it. It now says 7:00. http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/schedule/index.jsp#current
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- :: Conference Finals :: [NE vs CB -R-] Didn't C-Bus already win the Eastern Conference?
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] If EZ is on the right and Namoff is on the left, I can see having Stewart dropping back into a right back position as EZ slides centrally alongside of Petke. Stewart is responsible enough to cover if EZ makes runs as well.
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- :: Conference Finals :: [NE vs CB -R-] hehehe That was a good one! Bring it on Revs! No Paul Revere is is going to save you now!
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] Actually two, Kamler gave us a win in their stadium remember?
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] An interesting note about the series is that Nellie did not play in 3 of the 4 games against the Revs this season. In the 0-0 game on 8/28 we started Prideaux, Petke, Namoff, in the 2-2 game on 8/14 we started Prideaux, Hendrickson, Namoff, and in the 1-0 game on 5/29 we started Prideaux, Petke, Namoff. A recap of the series this season -- DC leads with 2 wins and 2 draws: 5/29 DC United 1, New England Revolution 0 -- Gillette Stadium Scoring Summary: DC -- own goal (Brian Kamler) 5 8/14 DC United 2, New England Revolution 2 -- RFK Stadium Scoring Summary: NE -- Steve Ralston (Pat Noonan) 38 DC -- Jaime Moreno (unassisted) 39 DC -- Jaime Moreno (Dema Kovalenko) 56 NE -- Andy Dorman (Shalrie Joseph, Richie Baker) 85 8/28 DC United 0, New England Revolution 0 -- Gillette Stadium 10/9 DC United 1, New England Revolution 0 -- RFK Stadium Scoring Summary: DC -- Christian Gomez (Ben Olsen) 32
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] Was going to post regular season totals, but Atouk beat me to it- nice job there. As for the Conference Championship being already won, Nix. A Supporter's Shield does not a Conference Champion make- surviving through to the finals is the only way to that piece of hardware, as is evidenced by those already in possession in United's trophy case, re: 96 season.(again, see barra brava's gallery) Eyeing the season results though, can be misleading, given as Grillmaster has so eloquently reminded us, this one's for HARDWARE!!!! I would venture a guess that Ezra was paying attention to Nelson's play last week enough that our backline, with him starting out centrally, will end up looking as fluid as it did in the victory over the Scum. I distinctly remember looking up at times and seeing our backline in various stages of musical fullbacks, with Nelson at times looking to serve the midfield well out near the sidelines, and Namoff or Petke, covering his spot in the middle. Again, the Nowak principle work rate being evident. And no doubt, if they practice it, they'll look to get him in front at least a majority of Ralston's crosses, hopefully his tracking radar will be in high form, and snuff em out. Whatever your outlook or predictions, this promises to be a very tactical match, with a lot of physical challenges coming in between some great runs, crosses, one touches- I'm betting we see more than a few nuggets of the best MLS has to offer. Predictions: 12th man brings it home- and RFK rocks like it was meant to. DC 3- NE 2 Vamos United. Vamonos.
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] Not trying to get too cocky, but NE had every opportunity to lose this game and series in their last game. Granted Reis gets kudos for stopping those PKs, but this game could have been 3 - 1 Cowlumbus. That is not necessarily a lot of momentum going into the Eastern Conference Championship.* We need to make sure that our finishing is good, but Buddle showed that Reis can be fooled! Coach Nicol is very good at getting his team ready for tough matches, but I am anxious to see Marshall Leonard trying to stop our attack the same way he "stopped" Columbus. Should be hilarious. Keep on bringing it on! *This also makes me wonder if Cow fans should temper their criticism of Andrulis in this game. Not that I think that highly of him, but NE won this game on the field. If Sanneh or Martino had done their jobs, Cowlumbus would have been in the final (or at least been playing for it in extra time). And whose choice was it for Sanneh to take the penalty? Probably not Andrulis's.
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] Unless Buddle's hemarroids flared up before the game I don't see any reason to start Washington over him in a do or die playoff qualifier. Andrulis screwed the pooch...
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] Second best part of this (us being at home is #1), is that I don't have to go to Columbus. What a hole.
Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-] Agreed, but I'm not complaining! I also heard that Dante didn't want to come to DC because Jaime Moreno already had his number.