Official DC United vs New England Revolution PRE Match Thread :: Conference Final

Discussion in 'D.C. United' started by Knave, Oct 31, 2004.

  1. ursula

    ursula Member

    Feb 21, 1999
    Republic of Cascadia
    We could do much worse than Vaughn. I'm cautiously copasetic.
     
  2. mikedett

    mikedett New Member

    Jun 2, 2002
    Springfield, Va. USA
    Club:
    DC United
    I do kinda feel bad for the former United players who have to come to our house Saturday.
    I am gonna ride em like a Kmart pony yeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa :D
     
  3. GrillMaster

    GrillMaster Member

    Aug 31, 2000
    Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Vaughn centered the KC v SJ game last week.

    GM
     
  4. GrillMaster

    GrillMaster Member

    Aug 31, 2000
    Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Connolly picks the Revs, cheatin bob's brother picks the Revs, both citing the absence of Nelsen and Kovalenko. Yet more bulletin board material for the boys.

    I suggest Jaime, Alecko, Gomito, Gros, Olsen and Stewart resist the temptation to fall over when they feel pressure in the box. The lame-ass referees of MLS owe DC United several PKs called for and their ledger on PKs called against weighs heavily. With Heaps, Pierce and John kicking at ankles all day, it would be easy to descend to the depths of dishonor populated by most of the rest of the league, trying to 'create' some fouls as Connolly suggest the anchovy is so good at. Jersey made a living of falling over at the 18 and got several outstanding free kick opportunities that required a sharp Rimando to defeat. Columbus continued their season long instability in the box and created 2 PKs last weekend alone (and we can't forget the bogus one they got here in May that cost us two points and, it could be argued, won them the Supporters' Shield). We all know of course, that our sterling referees are immune to such simulation (yeah, right) and will reward DC for their integrity (yeah, right).

    Similar to the game vs the scum when Nellie was out (a win breaking the road curse), the boys need to play for each other and cover for each other. The big difference now is that we're at RFK. Connolly cites our record of 4-5-4 without Nelsen. But what he doesn't say is that DC had Nelsen for both losses at RFK: Chicago's afro man Damani Ralph on April 24, and lalagals' Herzog/AMoreno show on May 19. Of course Nellie didn't play on 5/19 (I can't remember why, perhaps a strain from a NZ WCQ) but he was on the bench. May 19 was the last time DC United lost a game at RFK the other three Nelsen-less losses came on the road earlier in the season when our guys were still road pu$$ies. So Connolly figures a home record of 2 wins (6/19 clb, 8/11 colo), 1 draw (8/14 ne) and 1 loss (5/19 la) at RFK without Nelsen (and not having Dema) for this match that DC is doomed to succumb to the New Enland offense, DC on the short end of a 2-3 match. Poppycock.

    Would we rather play with Nelsen and Dema? Sure, but Dema's absence is in an area of excellent team depth and we seem to have been able to survive at RFK without Nellie. I believe DC is going to be flying and supporting each other all over the pitch. In futbol, as we know, anything can, and frequently does, happen. The team that finishes its chances will win, plain and simple. I think our team is more on form offensively than the Revs.

    Reis is an ordinary keeper when it comes to DC United type goals -- you know, where we put it into an open net or score from in close. Where he is great is anticipating break-aways and controlling his box on corners. While the former will inhibit the long ball forward, we have guys that can make a break on the dribble -- Moreno, Stewart and Freddy, and guys that can make the thread-the-needle pass behind the defense -- Moreno, Gomito, Adu, Osen and Stewart that a keeper can't prevent without risking PK or an open net. DC has been so poor on corner kicks that we should probably just take short corners and try to pass our way into the goal. So defensively, the Revs are very good, but certainly not invincible. Heaps and John give up fouls consistently near the goal, Joseph and Pierce will stick you strongly and are quite accomplished. Guess we just have to attack from the wings (which will have the added benefit of making Ralston play defense).

    Good guys win, tea-baggers go home to ponder why they played so poorly this year.

    GM
     
  5. fatbastard

    fatbastard Member+

    Aug 1, 2003
    Lincoln (ish), Va
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-]

    Throw Twellman and Ralston down the well, the rest - throw in a fire!

    DC United will swarm these guys so hard they won't know what hit them. Defenders and midfielders won't have time to look up before being pressured for the ball, errant passes will be the affliction the Revs suffer. Their forwards will run, but will not see the ball much. By the 65th minute they'll be gasping for air, then we'll finish them off. By the 93rd minute, the noise coming from RFK will scare the neighbors, and we will all be hugging each other, high-fiving, and in Lastort's case, crying like school-girls. After drunkenly finding our ways home, we'll then wonder ... hey, who are we playing next week in LA???

    3-1 DC, maybe 4-1 if Freddy feels like being a dick at the end (I hope he does) by rubbing it in and dribbling by the goalie and tapping one in.
     
  6. DutchFootballRulez

    Jul 15, 2003
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-]

    Actually, KC plays LA tonight. So we'll know who we play before the Weapons of Mass Intoxication are even used.
     
  7. Jon Martin

    Jon Martin Member+

    Apr 25, 2000
    SE Mass
    Reading the Connolly and Bradley picks didn't faze me, 'cause for them the pick is a coin toss and 500 words of hand-waving.

    Reading that the DCU faithful feel the Revs D is very good makes me feel like I'm in an alternate universe.
     
  8. fatbastard

    fatbastard Member+

    Aug 1, 2003
    Lincoln (ish), Va
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-]

    Oops, duh - I knew that. Maybe I plan on drinking so much I'll forget :D
    So do you think the team that wins tonight will immediately start preparing for DC? :D

    I wish a case of exploding diarrhea on Rusty Pierce and Jay Heaps.
     
  9. DutchFootballRulez

    Jul 15, 2003
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm somewhat concerned. Because our last matches at Home vs. the Revs, the Goalpost and Perkins have own3d Twellman, but I get this eerie feeling that they may get an early goal. I just hope they bunker and try to win 1-0. So we can dominate posession and attack en masse.
     
  10. Atouk

    Atouk BigSoccer Supporter

    DC United
    Apr 16, 2001
    Arlington, VA
    Club:
    Queens Park Rangers FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Connolly says:
    A better chance? What he doesn't say is that in three of the four games this year, Nelsen wasn't there to "knock him or anyone else around" and Twellman still got just one shot on goal. Yes, that is what New England needs to do, but it's not like it's Nellie that's been the one shutting down Twellman this season.

    First meeting -- Twellman starts, out in the 70th, 1 shot on goal vs. Prideaux, Petke, and Namoff
    Second meeting -- Twellman starts, goes 90, 0 shots on goal vs. Prideaux, Henderson, and Namoff
    Third meeting -- Twellman starts, goes 90, 0 shots on goal vs. Prideaux, Petke, and Namoff
    Fourth meeting -- Twellman starts, goes 90, 0 shots on goal vs. Petke, Nelsen, Namoff

    It's not Nelsen that's made Twellman ineffective this season against United.
     
  11. Atouk

    Atouk BigSoccer Supporter

    DC United
    Apr 16, 2001
    Arlington, VA
    Club:
    Queens Park Rangers FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  12. Shark

    Shark Member

    Mar 12, 2004
    Leesburg, VA
    ...another Esky bomb from a short corner? Brillant!!

    RFK might come crashing down from the bouncing if that were to happen.

    Make is so Esky. Make it so...
     
  13. fatbastard

    fatbastard Member+

    Aug 1, 2003
    Lincoln (ish), Va
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My favorite part of the article (or a different one, I've lost track), in honor of the recent campaigns, taken out of context :p
     
  14. lkeniston

    lkeniston Member

    Mar 20, 2003
    Richmond, Va.
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Official DC United vs --------------- PRE Match Thread :: [NE vs CB -R-]

    Awesome observation!
     
  15. lkeniston

    lkeniston Member

    Mar 20, 2003
    Richmond, Va.
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Revolution strikeforce has been starved for quality service all season when Ralston is well marked.

    As long as our boys maintain their shape, don't get into fights, and don't get overconfident & deflate - it will be 3-1 DC.
     
  16. subbuteo

    subbuteo New Member

    Dec 17, 2002
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  17. Cantankerous

    Cantankerous New Member

    Apr 15, 2003
    United country
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Am I the only one with misgivings about the match tomorrow? In the midst of all the chest-thumping, I am feeling EXTREMELY nervous.

    Ryan is a big loss for us. Dema is as well, but we're better equipped to cover for him than for Nelsen.

    Our midfield needs to step up big time tomorrow to deny service from their flank players. I worry about Noonan, Dempsey and Dorman.

    Perhaps wearing a lucky hat will help. Perhaps I'll take my ultralucky underwear from 1999 (still unwashed from the final match, thank goodness!) down from its frame and wear it proudly.

    (I know, that was unnecessary. I'm resorting to disgusting humor to lift my mood.)

    Time for a Guinness. Or five.
     
  18. NattyBo

    NattyBo Member+

    Apr 30, 2004
    Nunya
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    I was thinking of Ryan missing..thinking it was going to really hurt us

    But in 4 games against the Revs this year, he has only played in 1, and we've won two.

    Im still feeling nervous but ya gotta have faith!
     
  19. JoeW

    JoeW New Member

    Apr 19, 2001
    Northern Virginia, USA
    Nervous about tomorrow? Of course you should be. It's not a guarantee that we win. There's about a 15% chance of us losing at home. Those odds aren't good enough (85% chance of not losing) for me to bet.

    But that said, the odds are in our favor. We're the better team and we're significantly better at home. Furthermore, if you look at the formula NE needs to beat us, we've got a decent shot at handling it (marking Twellman so he has no opportunities, forcing Ralston to defend, not letting Noonan have space). Absolutely they'll cause us problems. But we can still (and should) take them.

    As for Vaughan in the center circle, I'm cautiously optimisic. I don't spend that much time analyzing referees. But here's my take on Vaughan: he'll blow calls and his judgment isn't always the best (most refs wouldn't have called the PK on Hejduk against us). But he is strong, makes calls even if he thinks they aren't popular and will call a close foul. Why is that in our favor?

    I think this is NE's gameplan:
    1. Play compact.
    2. Play it in the air.
    3. Seek to counter.
    4. When in doubt foul.
    5. Don't let Moreno turn with the ball. Take him down--and hard. Lots of players will foul him.
    6. Put the body on Adu (especially off the ball). Try to get his mind off of the game.

    In short, they'll try to muscle us throughout the match, stop play, make it long ball, push and hold, commit a lot of tactical fouls and stay compact while playing for a mistake or a counter. If the referee makes a call very early in the match that says "I'm calling a close game" or "that take-down off the ball just earned you a card Shalrie Joseph" than I think it's a totally different match--much more back and forth, ball in play, lots of transition play. And that kind of game works in our favor and against the Revs.
     
  20. Beaker

    Beaker Member

    Jun 21, 2001
    Vienna, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'll be wearing my lucky shirt (5-0 at home in that shirt this season). I'm also making my lucky Super Duper Chocolate Chip Cookies for the SE tailgate. We're 2-0 when I whip up a batch.

    I'm doing everything I can!!
     
  21. NattyBo

    NattyBo Member+

    Apr 30, 2004
    Nunya
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Guys, just to reiterate:

    THIS IS FOR HARDWARE

    LETS GO DC!!
     
  22. Jose L. Couso

    Jose L. Couso New Member

    Jul 31, 2000
    Arlington, VA
    WORD!

    DC UNITED!
     
  23. NattyBo

    NattyBo Member+

    Apr 30, 2004
    Nunya
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    God, making me watch this Whiz acceptance of the West Conf. Trophy is making me jealous...we'd better win tomorrow!
     

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