Pre-match: Season Predictions

Discussion in 'D.C. United' started by Q*bert Jones III, Feb 21, 2024.

  1. pr0ner

    pr0ner Member+

    Jan 13, 2007
    Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The international window doesn't open until the 18th. Argentina can't call in players before then. If Messi misses the game, it won't be because he's on international duty.
     
  2. PSURoss

    PSURoss Member+

    Sep 30, 2002
    DC Burbs
    My bad, my understanding of the international window was that the dates were when games could be scheduled vs when players must be released. Thanks for the correction.
     
  3. Section 107

    Section 107 Member+

    DCU
    United States
    Jul 18, 2018
    its a little bit more than that- the player is to be released for 4 days including the day of the game and released 5 days including the day of the game if the player must travel to another continent.

    So, in our case, the ARG game is Mar 22, and since he does not have to travel to another continent the release date is 3/18 and the DC v Inter-Messi game is Mar 16. So as pr0ner said, no conflict.

    But, if the ARG game had been scheduled for 3/18, 3/19, or 3/20, then he could have been required to be released 4 days ahead of that game and therefore miss the 3/16 game. But FIFA wants games scheduled later in the window, preferably Wednesdays and Saturdays, so it was unlikely that the game would have been scheduled for the first few days of the window.
     
  4. GumbyG

    GumbyG Member+

    DC United
    Mar 22, 2007
    Chesapeake, VA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I feel the opposite. Barcelona West is ranking like 8th in the league. Messi is still Messi. He's as much of a cheat code here as Haaland is in the Prem.
     
    Yowza repped this.
  5. shammypants

    shammypants Member+

    Oct 9, 2013
    Club:
    DC United
    They just got a new guy, he's young and good. So yea, that solves most of that.
     
  6. Q*bert Jones III

    Q*bert Jones III The People's Poet

    Feb 12, 2005
    Woodstock, NY
    Club:
    DC United
    For me, the schedule is their biggest enemy. They have the potential to play about 72 games this season. Maybe more if/when Miami plays mid-season friendlies or has Messi called into the Olympic team or national team for the Copa. Those old guys are going to suffer. 90 minutes in Houston in August is brutal for anyone but when your whole team is mid-30s and they've played that many games, it's going to be a real struggle.

    If Tata Martino punted on the Open Cup and Leagues Cup and subbed out his players early and often, they might have a chance. But Tata Martino is a terrible coach and that's not going to happen.
     
  7. GlennAA11

    GlennAA11 Member+

    Jun 12, 2001
    Arlington, VA
    I think their defense is also a big question mark. But they've got one shutout already.
     

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