Looks like Barclay gets hurt again. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16699-2003May20.html
Great story as usual. Thanks Steven. That sucks for Devin, but realistically, he wasn't going to play anyway, so it's good that it's happening now rather than later. Happy to see Nelsen getting in some time with his New Zealand National that's not at the expense of DC United. The red card was not really earned, but it's timing isn't too bad. We'll miss him though. One down (Keller and Spurs) and one to go (Friedel and Rovers). Let the Rimando showcase continue! We darn well better see Convey running the show this week from central midfield. He's clearly earned the right. I think the pairing of he and Stewart as the primary ball handlers should help our quick attacking immensely. I sure hope they prove me right. -Digital
This week vs. Wales? The Dallas game is Convey's chance to show he can do it. Also Hudson's chance to show he can take a risk and try something new. If Convey gets a chance and does well, tough decision when Marco comes back. To me, it's not a tough decision at all. I'd sit Marco. If we don't get a win in the next 3 games or so, I think psychologically if not mathematically it will be very hard for us to make the playoffs. Something needs to be done to spark the team.
In the world of a DC United fan, isn't "this week" every day between one DC United game and the next one?
Why? Curtis has the touch of Roy Lassiter with worse finishing. He's short and can't win a head ball. All he does do is run fast. He adds absolutely nothing.
Sure, Curtis' game isn't pretty, but he found the back of the net more often than Quaranta last year: Curtis - 5 goals, 806 minutes Quaranta - 3 goals, 949 minutes And he's listed at 5'10, which isn't tall, but it's an inch taller than Stoichkov and Eskandarian, two inches taller than Kovalenko, and four inches taller than Quintanilla.
...except those clutch goals he scored when entering as a sub last season. Didn't he score a bunch of game winning/tying goals last season? Granted that doesn't reflect his performances for a full 90, but he does score goals.
He's definitely not the greatest forward in the league. But who knows? Maybe a quick guy with some hustle will put a little pressure on Dallas, open things up for some of the guys in the mid. There's been a lot of talk on here about Etcheverry lately. I think this will be a good chance to see if people are right. How do you think the team will do without Etch in the middle?
Yes as a sub. There's a reason he doesn't start. There's a reason that he wasn't signed by anyone after contraction. There's a reason LA tried converting him to a wingback. I just don't see it with Curtis.
I really like the idea of Convey and Stewart in the middle together. But if we play with 3 forwards as Ray suggests (although I doubt we see it), than I'd guess we'd end up seeing a 3-4-3. Don't know how that would look? Maybe: -------------------Rimando ---Prideaux------Ivanov-----------Petke --------------------Convey -Olsen--------------------------------Quaranta ----------------------Stewart --Ali(or Q2)------Eskandarian-----Kovelanko (with Convey and Stewart switching up) I think that Convey has looked a little more threatening as of late, but Stewart would be playing a little more withdrawn that should help his effectiveness. Both have shown they can hussle back with defending. Same goes for Olsen and Quaranta. One thing playing with 3 forwards solves is that if everybody is playing foward, we have few people to pass back to. Either way, this is an important game for Bobby. He's got to show that he's the man or he won't get the opportunity again for a while. I'm hoping to see more of Esky as the season wears on. I think he might turn into something special... at least I hope so.
I do not like the Dema up top idea. Would rather see Q2 in if we want a height deprived forward, then we could still have Dema available at Dmid or somewhere in there. Does not make sense to me.
There's a reason we aren't winning. No goals. Curtis isn't my first choice, either. Obviously, he wasn't Ray's first choice. I "just haven't seen it" with any of our players this season, so why not give someone else a shot? At the least, it just might motivate somebody else to score some freaking goals.
Hindsight is 20/20, but wouldn't you like a target forward like Brian Ching right now instead of Barclay? Devin was constantly suffering nagging injuries while with the Quakes. I wonder if he'll ever reach his "potential". Ching up top with Q1, Esky or even Stewart underneath might be more productive then what your using now.... Of course Ching might not look so good without Donovan next to him.
There's a reason we aren't winning. No goals. Curtis isn't my first choice, either. Obviously, he wasn't Ray's first choice. I "just haven't seen it" with any of our players this season, so why not give someone else a shot? At the least, it just might motivate somebody else to score some freaking goals.
Didn't Dema play more of a 3rd forward role when he was scoring with Chicago? Now, he's playing further back and not playing well. Hmmm... maybe Ray sees the problem.
Re: Re: Re: S. Goff(5/20) on Marco, Nellie and Barclay Ah but Barclay didn't look so hot when he was teamed up with Donovan.....
Re: Re: S. Goff(5/20) on Marco, Nellie and Barclay Totally agree. Hell, you'd get a better player in a similar mold by snappin up Dante Washington. Curtis surprised a few people off the bench last year, but he's not "the answer" to our scoring woes. Jeff Cunningham and Wolde Harris -- those are quality guys to bring off the bench (altho JC is back in as a starter these days).
I agree that Donovan creates room for Ching but I think it's unfair to suggest he's only succeeding because of Landon. Does it help? Of course. But, whose to say that paired with Stewart or Quaranta that Ching wouldn't have had enough space to score. If you look at his goals, two were assisted by Mullan (another great pickup by Yallop in the offseason) and the other by Landon. On the goals that Mullan assisted, I'm sure that the Donovan factor played a role but he's not the only player with the tactical awarenes to make smart runs that draw defenders and I'm sure if given the chance, Stewart could have done the same thing. The fact is that Ching is a rugged, big target forward and DC needs - wait, let me check - a rugged, big target forward. Now, would I have pickd Ching with the top pick in the supplemental draft? No, but that's why I'm sitting here typing and not running an MLS team. By contrast, Ray and Kasper are running an MLS team and it's their job to know about players like Ching. It's not like he was a secret. He'd played in MLS and in the A-League and while SJ had the advantage of having played against Ching in the USOC, it's not like they were the only team that knew about him. I've always liked Barclay and once healthy he is capable of contribuitng but even then, he'll be redundnat - wing player or small forward - and not fill a need the club has the way Ching would have. Again - Yes, Donovan makes Ching better but I disagree that he can't help a team without Landon.
"United defender Ryan Nelsen has joined New Zealand's national team at a European training camp prior to its friendly against Scotland next week. Suspended for United's May 31 game because of a red card last Saturday, Nelsen is planning to play two more MLS matches -- June 7 vs. Chicago and June 11 at Colorado -- before rejoining the Kiwis for the FIFA Confederations Cup in France. He will probably miss two United games while participating in that international tournament" I'm guessing this means we will not see Nellie in the friendly in Richmond.