Review: Once more unto the breach - the 2024 season thread

Discussion in 'D.C. United' started by morrissey, Feb 17, 2024.

  1. song219

    song219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 5, 2004
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Vanuatu
    Does Birnbaum make his way back to starting once he is healthy? The only thing I definitely see that DCU is missing is his prescence in the air on set pieces.
     
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  2. fatbastard

    fatbastard Member+

    Aug 1, 2003
    Lincoln (ish), Va
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Speaking of "being healthy" - did anyone catch Tony Limarzi saying something about Canouse (from whom you should buy your next house) being "out of the line-up, but not exactly for an injury" ... then Bruce adding something like "I hope he gets his life in order and returns soon" - or something along those lines?

    Anybody know anything real?
    Rumor, scuttlebutt, innuendo?
     
  3. song219

    song219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 5, 2004
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Vanuatu
    Speaking of rumors I'm again reminded of 20 years ago when many rumors surrounded Adu.
     
  4. Q*bert Jones III

    Q*bert Jones III The People's Poet

    Feb 12, 2005
    Woodstock, NY
    Club:
    DC United
    I've been wondering this too. I'd love to see him get a chance with a decent defense before he retires. He might not be half bad in this set-up. But you can't change the lineup now unless there's a reason.
     
  5. fatbastard

    fatbastard Member+

    Aug 1, 2003
    Lincoln (ish), Va
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ..... you mean back when we could make jokes about bonesaws and it was understood that they'd be a joke - before the Saudi royal family ruined that for everyone.
     
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  6. Section 107

    Section 107 Member+

    DCU
    United States
    Jul 18, 2018
    Goff and others, including quotes from Lesesne, reported that he had fully recovered from his ankle injury suffered in pre-season so substance abuse issues related to the ankle does not jibe with the "not injury related." But the "gets his life in order" comment gives pause.

    His wife Erika put up a social media post of how their super cute (not all are!) 4-week-old daughter is bringing sunshine during dark days and "we love you." I am going with some recent diagnosis.

    Best wishes for him and all the family in whatever it is.
     
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  7. Yowza

    Yowza Member+

    DC United
    United States
    Oct 23, 2019
    Arlington
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, Lesesne said in a couple press conferences that Canouse is recovered but is dealing with a non football issue and there is no timetable for his return. He did say in the pre Columbus presser that there had been progress on Canouse’s situation.
     
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  8. song219

    song219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 5, 2004
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Vanuatu
    Has anyone seen how Pines is doing in England?
     
  9. Yowza

    Yowza Member+

    DC United
    United States
    Oct 23, 2019
    Arlington
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He hasn’t played since March 20 something. I’m guessing he’s injured because once they got him fit he started for them, even had a couple goals in the four or so games he played.
     
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  10. Winoman

    Winoman Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-De!

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
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  11. Section 107

    Section 107 Member+

    DCU
    United States
    Jul 18, 2018
    that really sucks. Here is a really nice extended interview of Pines by the team from last Friday - after the surgery to repair a torn quad muscle.

    DONOVAN PINES | BIG INTERVIEW - News - Barnsley Football Club (barnsleyfc.co.uk)

    Min 11 he talks about the injury. Heartening to hear how straightforward the coach's comments are in saying he will be back for next season (as opposed to wishy-washy comments of "we will have to see what the future holds...").
     
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  12. superdave

    superdave BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    These paragraphs are in the wrong damn order.
     
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  13. Heist

    Heist Member+

    Jun 15, 2001
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Can he shoot?
     
  14. Heist

    Heist Member+

    Jun 15, 2001
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I thought we were in 8th and the top 9 make it.
    Or did the rules change again?
    You are correct about the buzz saw though.
     
  15. Q*bert Jones III

    Q*bert Jones III The People's Poet

    Feb 12, 2005
    Woodstock, NY
    Club:
    DC United
    You are correct! I'm not sure why but the MLS app sets the line after 7th.

    Apparently, DCU had a bunch of job openings for their analytics department. That's a positive sign IMO.
     
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  16. Heist

    Heist Member+

    Jun 15, 2001
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I saw that too. Maybe 8v9 is a play-in game this year and 1-7 are guaranteed to be in the playoffs proper?
     
  17. Section 107

    Section 107 Member+

    DCU
    United States
    Jul 18, 2018
    that is 100% correct
     
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  18. song219

    song219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 5, 2004
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Vanuatu
    MLS isn't above changing playoff qualifications midseason.
     
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  19. Section 107

    Section 107 Member+

    DCU
    United States
    Jul 18, 2018
    So here are some passages from the TheAthletic's article about Inter-Messi getting bounced by Monterrey. Size of the stadium notwithstanding, that kind of atmosphere is what I think our jock straps, er, oops, I mean supporters groups, should once again provide to the visitors. Sadly, it is not what the FO wants and our fan groups are all too willing to oblige.

    Estadio BBVA rocked as Monterrey rolled
    Estadio BBVA is one of North American soccer’s crown jewels, tucked into a valley in the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range. The atmosphere at the place on Wednesday almost certainly contributed to Miami’s undoing, though they didn’t need much help. Monterrey’s fans were fully bought in the entire match and the noise was deafening.

    In Mexico, Messi doesn’t enjoy the sort of universal adulation that he does elsewhere in the world; there were very few Messi jerseys in view and he was booed relentlessly throughout the match. Tata Martino, Miami’s head coach, got an even louder jeer when he was announced pre-game — Martino led Mexico to an early crash-out at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    By the final whistle, the crowd had honed in on a pair of chants: “Messi se la come” (Messi can eat it) was the first. The second was a little less creative: they just started chanting Cristiano Ronaldo’s name over and over again. Simple but effective.
    “It’s something we were prepared for, to be honest with you,” Miami midfielder Julian Gressel said after the match. “This was a beautiful atmosphere, great stadium, great fans, against a good team, and those are the nights you want to play. It’s an away game, you expect that.”

    There’s simply nothing like this type of environment in MLS. This is why playing in Mexico has always been so difficult for MLS sides. The size of the Estadio BBVA is evident. The crowd is loud and the noise is intimidating. One bad touch, and they’re inside your head. Drake Callender found that out the hard way.
    – Pablo Maurer & Felipe Cardenas
     
  20. song219

    song219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 5, 2004
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Vanuatu
    You might as well complain that American fans aren't as strong as English fans. Club America was founded in 1916 when the ASL which is American fans favorite example of "what ifs" hadn't been formed. C.F. Monterey itself was founded in 1945.
     
  21. Section 107

    Section 107 Member+

    DCU
    United States
    Jul 18, 2018
    Disagree. What does when a team was founded have to do with its fans creating an intimidating atmosphere? Nothing.

    The fans, especially the SGs, were a wonderfully intimidating presence most of the time at RFK. Until some greedy university made noise our fans were proudly known as "the 12th Man" and other teams acknowledged that. And we were just born in 1996. I have related stories of getting in their heads from behind the goal at RFK. Now our field is as intimidating as a teletubbie. Certainly it doesn't help that for most of the last 20 years our team sucked, but irregardless [sic] of the quality of our team's actual play, the fans can and should bring it.

    As Maurer said, no MLS side has that presence anymore. And that is by MLS design. And our SGs, who are supposed to be leading the way for the rest of the fans, are just too happy to oblige. In that way (only), I miss Oscar.
     
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  22. song219

    song219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 5, 2004
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Vanuatu
    Bull. Fandom is generational and in general the better fans are those whose parents and extended family were fans usually fathers and uncles. I was at RFK in the beginning and all of the way through and I don't exaggerate our fandom.
     
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  23. PSURoss

    PSURoss Member+

    Sep 30, 2002
    DC Burbs
    He's prone to a very high level snobbery when it comes to not MLS soccer. Go check out a KC Chiefs or Seahawks home game, especially when the team is doing well. Go to just about any big time college football or basketball game, the scene is nuts. Their stadium seats double the typical MLS stadium and is made to hold sound better than almost any open air stadium. They're also just about the only game in town. Monterrey Mexico has a baseball team that draws 12K and a professional handball team that I don't imagine draws more than that.
     
  24. superdave

    superdave BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
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  25. JRHokie

    JRHokie Member+

    Aug 23, 2001
    Fairfax, VA
    Ted out for next 2 games with groin injury. Not hip as it said in at least one report i saw.
     
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