<div>The New England Revolution are a team in transition this offseason. &nbsp;Long-time coach Steve Nicol has been fired and replaced by a man familiar to Revs fans: former player Jay Heaps. &nbsp;The new head man comes in at a time when the team’s glory days of MLS Cup appearances seem in the distant past, which a last place finish in the Eastern Conference will do to you.</div>
<div>So far this offseason, the team has made a few intriguing moves to bolster its lineup and when they trot out for First Kick 2012, the Revs will be a recognizable and veteran team. &nbsp;But is this the right strategy for a team that is currently mired in mediocrity? &nbsp;Let’s continue our offseason “3 Questions” series with the Revs.</div>

<div>1. Can Jay Heaps replace Steve Nicol?</div>
<div>Really this is the most important question for this club, but the question might be better phrased as can Jay Heaps make a difference? &nbsp;Stevie Nicol was undone towards the end by a couple of factors: the end of his dominance in&nbsp;collegiate&nbsp;scouting, his owner’s unwillingness to spend more on players, and untimely injuries to key players that have not been fully replaced.</div>
<div>In comes Jay Heaps from the team’s broadcast booth, and these challenges will be facing a guy who’s never been a coach at any level. &nbsp;This does not mean he will not succeed; in fact, the trend in MLS is to hire former players as coaches and there is a record of success with this route. &nbsp;That said, team blogs like <a href="http:\/\/www.thebentmusket.com/2011/11/18/2571932/revolution-jay-heaps-hired-head-coach-reaction#storyjump" target="_blank">The Bent Musket</a> have been underwhelmed by the hiring, noting that this may have been the Krafts simply going after the cheapest and easiest coaching option. &nbsp;In addition, the fact that Heaps was never a team captain is an intriguing point. &nbsp;Nevertheless, all of this will be moot if he can turn the culture around and begin finding success in a “fluid” Eastern Conference.</div>

<div>2. Where will the goals come from?</div>
<div>This team has an offense and defense problem, but the glaring lack of production from the Revs’ forwards is an obvious deficiency in this team. &nbsp;Shalrie Joseph was the team’s leading scorer, and with the acquisition of Clyde Simms (see below) he will be able to continue to be a threat up front for the team. &nbsp;Rajko Lekic chipped in six goals in his first MLS seasons (<a href="http:\/\/www.thebentmusket.com/2011/12/11/2629414/rajko-lekic-contract-new-england-revolution" target="_blank">and could be resigned for cheaper</a>), but the rest of the forwards vastly underachieved or simply couldn’t contribute with any consistency.</div>
<div>There are two ways this team can improve here, and the most obvious one is to do a little shopping for new forwards. &nbsp;New England will&nbsp;likely&nbsp;go sniffing around for new faces, but how much money they will commit to buying a top flight striker (especially after taking on Benny Feilhaber’s salary plus <a href="http:\/\/bostonglobe.com/sports/2011/12/06/soccer-notes-revolution-sign-shalrie-joseph/Q77pvlzCu6dgB4DDKRZmeK/story.html" target="_blank">bumping up</a> Shalrie Joseph) is a key question. &nbsp;Their move to cut-and-restructure some of their higher-salaried players may clear up space.</div>
<div>But a second in-house option is to gamble on soon-to-be 17 year old Diego Fagundez. &nbsp;The young midfielder made an impact with two goals in the Revs last six games and is being touted as an up-and-coming star. &nbsp;However, as long-time MLS watchers know, depending on a teenager to lead an attack can be a dangerous proposition, and Heaps may be content to let him stay in the more veteran midfield anyway.</div>
3. Is a more veteran team a better team?
<div>New England was one of the more aggressive teams in the Re-Entry draft, grabbing Clyde Simms from DC United and Nate Jaqua from Seattle. &nbsp;Simms is a veteran holding midfielder who can provide some consistent defensive cover while Jaqua can give some depth and a potential scoring punch. &nbsp;For a team whose best players are aging, this is an interesting strategy. &nbsp;If the team adds only one or two new contributors, the starting XI we will see in 2012 will be familiar to MLS fans and have years of MLS experience.</div>
<div>But is this a good thing for a team like New England who again has stagnated over the past few seasons? &nbsp;Without making a game-changing signing this is the type of team that can tread water and maybe be a threat in the East. &nbsp;Last year that may have been good enough for a playoff spot but with the improvement of teams like Chicago, it will be harder to make a playoff run being just mediocre. &nbsp;However, depending on who they sign or how the conference shakes out, maybe this low-cost strategy could be the key to bringing them back to the playoffs.</div>

Heaps of Trouble? Three Questions for NE Revolution - World Soccer Talk

Heaps of Trouble? Three Questions for NE Revolution

Team: DC United
Coach: Ben Olsen
Last Year’s Finish: 8th Eastern Conference, 16th Overall, 6-20-4
This year’s seemingly annual retooling of DC United carries much more weight than usual.&nbsp; After finishing not only the worst season in club history, but&nbsp;likely the worst in MLS history, United had holes to fill all over the place.&nbsp; But before adding pieces to a league worst everything (attack at the bottom, tons of goals against), DCU needed to decide who would attempt to lead them from the abyss.&nbsp; After initially claiming the United legend was not a candidate, the front office did a 180 and made Ben Olsen’s temporary job a permanent one.&nbsp; Though lacking experience in the position and not far removed from a brilliant playing career, the feeling is that United needed a leader with his fiery passion to motivate a team that seemed to give up on itself very early last season.&nbsp; In fact, virtually all the roster moves made this offseason reflect on an attempt to form the club in his image, with players who have that inherent grit and drive inside them.&nbsp;
Key Roster Additions: While MLS &nbsp;journeymen Stephen King and Kurt Morsink tried desperately to fill the shoes of the retired Olsen last year, there was decidedly something missing in the center of&nbsp;midfield.&nbsp; Enter Dax McCarty, who has been brought in to really stabilize the core of said midfield.&nbsp; McCarty is known as both an effective distributor and ball winner.&nbsp; He has the kind of motor that is a bit reminiscent of Benny’s.&nbsp; We all know what a&nbsp;hard time this club had putting the ball in the back of the net (among so many other difficulties).&nbsp; Enter Charlie Davies, who is trying to not only help ressurect DC United, but also his career.&nbsp; Davies has come full circle to the place where a car accident nearly took his life and ability to play soccer.&nbsp; The onus is on Charlie to find the back of the net because the amount of proven goal scorers on this team is negligible at best.&nbsp; Perry Kitchen was drafted as the 3rd overall pick and should shore up two very gray areas, defense and on – field leadership.&nbsp; Kitchen is another addition in the Olsen mold; fiery, passionate, a leader, gritty, etc.&nbsp;&nbsp; Pat Onstad has also been added as a player/coach, due to injuries.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stikers, Joseph Ngwenya and Josh Wolff were picked&nbsp;up in the Re-Entry Draft.&nbsp;&nbsp;Uruguayan defender, Rodrigo Brasesco was added to solidify the backline.

Key Roster Subtractions:&nbsp; Troy Perkins was supposed to be a stabilizing influence last year and he turned out to be anything but that.&nbsp; Perkins dropped off massively in quality compared to his previous DCU stint and was practically run out of town to make way for promising Academy signing, Bill Hamid.&nbsp; Rodney Wallace, who spent much of last season with a broken leg, was also sent packing.&nbsp; Wallace was making the transition from midfield,&nbsp;back to his collegiate position of left back.&nbsp; He began as a starter, but his progress was stunted due to injury.&nbsp; Concerning Luciano Emilio and Pablo Hernandez : the attack was flat out horrible, neither of these midseason acquistions did much to help the ball find it’s way into the back of the net.&nbsp;
Projected Starters: If healthy, Bill Hamid will definitely be the starter in goal.&nbsp; After a promising slate of appearances last year, Hamid like Andy Najar, showed that United’s academy must be doing something right.&nbsp; However, a shoulder injury that has been nagging for some time, could see Pat Onstad start the season between the posts.&nbsp; Though his first priority is the development of the young Hamid, Onstad is still darn good at 43 and so valuable in both his roles.
Last year it was pick your scapegoat for the Black and Red.&nbsp; With the attack and defense being equally horrible, a dramatic sea change was on the horizon.&nbsp; The backline suprisingly doesn’t appear to be too much different.&nbsp; Jed Zayner will certainly occupy one of the starting fullback positions.&nbsp; It appears that Dejan Jakovic and Perry Kitchen, will start in the center and potentially be a very formidable duo.&nbsp; The other fullback position&nbsp;looks wide open.&nbsp; Though Marc Burch seems the likely candidate … perhaps Brasesco will get a look there.&nbsp; He is considered a more central defender but has potential to play on the flanks.
When we get to the midfield and striking corps, the big question is what formation first – year coach Ben Olsen will utilize.&nbsp; Midfield is definitely where the largest amount of talent and depth coalesces.&nbsp; Add that to the fact that the striking line is improved, but still somewhat barren, and it seems that going to&nbsp;five in the middle makes sense.&nbsp; A couple of&nbsp;things seem to be certain: rookie of the year, Andy Najar, will be on&nbsp;one wing.&nbsp; Expect to see McCarty and Clyde Simms forming a tough, gritty&nbsp;core in the center of midfield.&nbsp;Beyond that, depending on the formation … Santino Quaranta, Branko Boskovic and Chris Pontius appear set to fill out a wing spot and potentially an attacking midfielder or supporting striker’s role.&nbsp;
Up top, we all know who the man is gonna be, Charlie Davies.&nbsp; He should be on the pitch regardless of the formation.&nbsp; If Olsen goes with two strikers, then we could see Joseph Ngwenya paired with Davies or perhaps Quaranta / Pontius in a support role.&nbsp;
Player to Watch:&nbsp;Could it be more obvious here … Charlie Davies.&nbsp; Though they didn’t score much last year, the club did display the ability to pass and link up well.&nbsp; They often fluidly moved the ball into scoring positions, only to either finish poorly or even more concerning … simply be afraid/hesitant to shoot.&nbsp; Though the entire scoring load isn’t Charlie’s responsibility, the club’s success will in large part depend on the midfield moving the ball well and Davies finishing opportunities provided.&nbsp;
Predictions: This team is drastically improved from a roster standpoint this year.&nbsp; There is a lot more depth and Olsen has many more options at his disposal.&nbsp; Based on the way last year finished, the club can only go up.&nbsp; Add to the fact that this is a league of&nbsp;parity and quick turnarounds; and factoring in a weak Eastern Conference, there is reason for some guarded hope.&nbsp; Despite all the additions though, this is a team with a lot of questions to answer.&nbsp; The least of which is not, whether Ben Olsen is ready to take the reins full time.&nbsp; Then there’s the whole Charlie Davies factor. If he can’t be an inkling of his former self, where do the goals come from? How drastically will a healthy Jakovic, as well as Kitchen, improve the league’s worst defense?&nbsp; Despite a solid offseason, the expectations should be muted due to so many unanswered variables.&nbsp; Still in this league, a turnaround and playoffs are never out of the question.
Best Case Scenario: Olsen completely transposes his heart and determination onto the team.&nbsp; They fight with heart week in and week out, managing to secure a wildcard&nbsp;playoff spot.&nbsp; Charlie Davies proves to be a goalscoring machine.&nbsp; Kitchen and Jakovic hold down the fort, leading a much improved backline.&nbsp;
Worst Case Scenario: Olsen bombs out with the job.&nbsp; The club repeats last year’s travesty, with a continued inability to score goals (much less stop them).&nbsp; Olsen loses out on a dream job because he might have gone for it too early.&nbsp; Yet another offseason rebuild would likely follow in such a situation.

MLS '11 Preview : Can the Black and Red Unite Under the Fiery Olsen? - World Soccer Talk

MLS '11 Preview : Can the Black and Red Unite Under the Fiery Olsen?

A sparse crowd at chilly RFK Stadium (2,804 announced) wednesday evening witnessed the pieces finally fall into place for a struggling DC United. On a night when the cold weather, local playoff hockey and having an Open Cup match midweek brought only the most hardcore of fans out, those who did make the journey were pleasantly rewarded.
DC United finally started to resemble the fluid passing team that we’re used to seeing. The night was far from perfect for the Black and Red, but when you line it up next to the previous four performances, United came up spades.
It was the Andy Najar, Adam Cristman, Troy Perkins show last night in the district. While United had several notable performances, these three seemed to stand out from the rest.
For Najar, United’s 17 year old prospect who was only recently playing high school soccer, it was something of a coming out party.
The youth from Honduras played the furthest up the pitch of his young career. After seeing Najar start both on the wing and in the center of midfield, we saw him play for the first time as sort of a withdrawn striker.
Najar seemed to effect the match in a positive way almost immediately. His ball control and ability to beat defenders were impeccable. He was also not afraid to shoot, something that has been plaguing United a bit.
Curt Onalfo said he felt Najar was more effective the further he was placed on the pitch.
“The biggest thing I took away from that last game was can we get him farther up the field? And if we can, he’s gonna cause issues. He was dangerous all night. That’s a 17 year old kid that put on a pretty darn good show and that’s very, very impressive.”
Najar and Cristman got things started early on what I guess you could call a “combination chip”. Najar used the outside of his foot to chip the ball over a defender to Adam Cristman, who promptly chipped the ball over the keeper.
This was the club’s first lead in a competitive match this year. United wanted to get off to a good start, that was a point of focus from Onalfo to his club :
“We had a really good start to the game. We talked about that. We wanted to come out and kind of take the game to them, set the tone, get that first goal and we did that.”
Santino Quaranta also felt a good early start was critical :
“I think we came out of the gates well. We finished our chances. I think once you get that first goal it kind of the gets the wind out of the guys. It helped us a lot. I thought that we took our chances well and we were dynamic.”
United controlled the early goings and dominated possession for the first third of the half.
FC Dallas was limited to an occasional counterattack during this time. In the 9th minute, Brek Shea did get a one on one chance with the keeper after an aerial through ball. However, Perkins made his first of many excellent saves on the evening. Perkins in fact, probably had his best match since returning to the nation’s capital.
Towards the middle of the opening half, play began to become bogged down a bit. A lot of sloppy passes were made by both teams as less space was awarded. FC Dallas enjoyed the better possession for a chunk of this middle portion.
Shea was clearly the best player for FCD this occasion. He was key in Dallas getting there offense started on breaks. Also, he was roaming freely around the pitch, making darting runs from the middle and both flanks.
In the 32nd minute, Onalfo was sent off for arguing a foul that was 50 yards from goal. It was not initially clear what the coach did to be sent off :
“I’ve never been ejected before. I feel like I’m very fair and I just objected to the call. And I feel like that’s something I should be able to do in my home stadium. The referees thought otherwise and it is what it is.”
As the half moved along though, DCU began to again dictate the flow of the match. They went up 2 – 0 on something of a strange goal.
Cristian Castillo took a free kick from distance and his curling ball nearly found Cristman’s head. FCD keeper, Kevin Hartman, started shifting his body for the redirect that never came. Instead the ball bounced inside the post past an already committed keeper.
United nearly went up by three just minutes later, as Andy Najar displayed some fancy footwork to get past a defender into the box. However, he was stifled immediately after by defending help. The ball rolled right to Cristman who one-timed it over the bar.
Shea managed one more Dallas chance, but the half ended 2 – 0 United.
The second half started much the same way as the first half, with United scoring and Najar being involved.
United took a 3 – 0 lead on a beautiful combination of passes. After receiving the ball deep in the center, Brandon Barklage one touched a beautiful through ball releasing Cristman on the right. The lead striker then layed a perfect low cross right to Najar, who slotted into a gaping net.
The two nearly teamed up again moments later for another tally. Again, Cristman found himself free on the right flank. This time he chose to loft his cross in. Najar in the same general area as before, headed the ball, but Hartman made a save from close range. Najar then picked up the loose ball and aimed for the upper 90, just 
missing.
Moments later FC Dallas were on the board thanks to Bruno Guarda. The rally continued as a foul in the box led to a penalty, which Dax McCarty calmy converted.
With Dallas putting the pressure on and only down a goal, Clyde Simms was inserted for Kurt Morsink after FCD’s first goal. Having their best defensive midfielder and some needed grit in the center helped shift the momentum back to United.
For Simms, who had been playing on the backline at times, it was nice to be playing in his true position. Asked about whether we’d see him again at right back, Simms joked :
“We’ll see, we’ll see. I hope all our defenders stay healthy. I like the midfield much better.”
Simms helped set up Cristman, who earned a brace on yet another chip shot over Hartman.
With the two goal lead reestablished, Santino Quaranta was brought on for Barklage and eventually Jaime Moreno came on for Cristian Castillo.
United played a possesion game, knocking the ball around the field, keeping the ball away from Dallas for long stretches of the final moments. The additions of Quaranta and Moreno offered veteran leadership and a stabilizing influence on the pitch.
The lineups of both teams were a mixture of starters and youthful reserves, however in Najar’s performance, United got a glimpse of what could become a special talent.
As for the young star, it hasn’t even settled in for him yet. Asked if he was amazed to be scoring goals in high school one minute, then for a professional club the next :
“Yes, I’m a little suprised.”
In the end, United held on for a much needed 4 – 2 victory. Last year’s run also started against FC Dallas. This Open Cup tournament has been kind to the club the last two years, with the exception of last year’s final.
It seemed like United wanted it more, because they needed something to give them confidence. They finally got the monkey off their back. Onalfo acknowledged the fact that winning helps breed confidence :
“Every game you play, you play to win and it makes it even more important when we’ve started the way we’ve started. So for us, getting points and a victory is important for self confidence. They come hand in hand.”
Now the question is, can this momentum and morale lift carry on to Saturday against rival Red Bull New York?

United Back on Course for Another Open Cup Run - World Soccer Talk

United Back on Course for Another Open Cup Run

The question “What’s going on in DC?” has become a recurring one among the fan circles of Major League Soccer. It’s a question that seems to be important to any fan of the game in this country. Whether it be rabidly passionate supporters from the DC, Maryland and Virginia area or just general MLS enthusiasts … in fact even rivals (aka Daniel Feuerstein) are showing their concern.
The bottom line is that DC United is a team that means something in MLS. This has been a cornerstone franchise, the most decorated club and one of the most recognizable. People are used to seeing this team succeed and they have often been a measuring stick that other clubs&nbsp;lined themselves up&nbsp;against. These days are clearly behind United.
There is something disconcerting&nbsp;about seeing a traditional power in any league fall off. It almost seems to somehow take away from the richness of a league. For instance, the Major League Baseball playoffs certainly seem to miss something when there are no Yankees or Red Sox to talk about.
Clearly the thought of a league without DC United is unthinkable to most MLS supporters. Having United basically stink, while not as bad, is also something that has been met with trepidation.
Besides the fact that United is in the worst position of all MLS teams on the stadium front, they are also not helping matters by essentially laying egss in their first four contests this season. The supporters are still showing up, but attendance has been slowly dropping the last several years. Despite this, the club still owns one of the better and more consistent attendance figures in the league.
United’s difficulties with getting a stadium are hardly related to the product on the pitch, but still it certainly isn’t helping. With that being said, let’s focus on the club’s play and not on their gamut of problems regarding where to play.
We’ll start with the back, then work our way up to the front.&nbsp; DC United’s goalkeeping situation is one that has been in flux since the man currently minding the net left after the 2007 MLS season.
Troy Perkins was far from perfect when he first stepped in between the posts for United. However, he slowly began to develop into one of the elite keepers in the league and in the country. Perkins grew with United and eventually found himself awarded the Goalkeeper of the Year honor in 2006.
His subsequent departure following the 2007 campaign, left a void that was filled by various, ultimately unsuccessful experiments for the following two seasons. First was the complete failure with Zach Wells. United traded for Houston Dynamo’s backup to Pat Onstad in a deal that handed over former MLS Defender of the Year Bobby Boswell. It’s clear now who got the better end of that deal.
Wells just flat out never seemed comfortable in goal. In fact, it was very uncomfortable and always nerve wrenching for any DCU supporter to watch him. Needless to say, soon after, the club was on the lookout for a new keeper.
Louis Crayton was brought in from the Swiss First Division and the Liberian international&nbsp;keeper went through his fair share of growing pains early on, but eventually settled in for a relatively solid finish to the year. One thing about Crayton that was apparent from the get go was that he was a bit wild and quick to come off his line, a trait that hurt both him and the team on more than one occasion.
Still, he also offered some magnificent performances for the club, flinging his body to make acrobatic saves on several occasions. However, any momentum that he might have gathered at the end of the 2008 campaign quickly faded away in the 2009 season, which he began on the injury list. Once healthy, Crayton’s starts were horribly inconsistent and this led to some playing time for journeyman Josh Wicks and rookie Milos Kocic.
Wicks ended up stringing together several solid efforts and the club allowed Crayton’s contract to expire midseason. While Wicks was far from a pillar of consistency, he still faired much better than his two predecessors. One problem that really came back to bite him though, was his temper.
Wicks had several altercations as a result of an inability to control his anger. Included in this were not only incidents with the opposing team, but also his own teammates. Wicks famously, or should I say&nbsp;infamously,&nbsp;stepped on Freddy Montero’s groin region during last year’s US Open Cup Final at RFK Stadium. This resulted of course in a red card and an essential gutting of United’s chances at a rally.
Also, during a home match with Chicago Fire, Wicks engaged in a shouting match with left back, Marc Burch. If not for Ben Olsen and others gettting between the two, fisticuffs might have been exchanged. In fact, there was some shoving before the two were seperated.
Occurrences such as this and a nagging shoulder injury led to Wicks being released early this year. Perkins’ return was supposed to stabilize this chaotic situation. While we can’t pin all the blame for 11 goals in four games&nbsp;conceded on the keeper, even Perkins has acknowledged displeasure with his play.
It seems that he is definitely readjusting to life in Major League Soccer and it also may be a sign of the growing quality of the league. Let’s not forget that Perkins was playing in Norway, which while a respectable league, it’s certainly not in the upper echelon of Europe.&nbsp; MLS isn’t inferior to any league that happens to be situated on the European continent.
It might not be long before&nbsp;Perkins is reacclimated to MLS play.&nbsp; In the end, I think&nbsp;he will be more part of the solution than part of continuing problems.&nbsp; Now the backline is a very different story.
For starters, the backline has also shown no sign of stability in the past couple of years. Besides the fact that there is a formation shift, going from three defenders at the back to four, injuries and disciplinary suspensions have kept the line in constant flux. Not only are we seeing a group of different players, we are also seeing said players in different spots along the backline. Almost like a Mr. Potato head of interchangeable pieces.
For instance, we’ve seen Carey Talley, Devon McTavish and even Clyde Simms at right back. Talley has also appeared in the center, next to a variety of partners, including Dejan Jakovic, Juan Manuel Pena and Julius James. Rodney Wallace has been the one constant at left back. While versatility is always a nice trait to have in your players, you’d still like to see a bit more stability in the lineup from week to week.
Injuries were mentioned as a key part in DCU’s current dilemma. Perhaps the one that hurts the most is the loss of right back, Bryan Namoff. Namoff was playing the soccer of his career last season before missing the end because of concussion problems. It’s a new season and he still hasn’t returned to the pitch for United and who knows, he may not this year.
Dejan Jakovic hasn’t helped matters by accumulating cards and being suspended for a match. Carey Talley and Juan Manuel Pena have been brought in, but it appears that their best days have passed them.
In Pena’s case, the La Liga veteran has shown solid knowledge and positioning, however his speed is definitely lacking a bit. We’ve seen him struggle to get back to defend opponents’ counterattacks. He&nbsp;is also&nbsp;injured.
Rodney Wallace may have played left back and done it well at the University of Maryland, but MLS is at&nbsp;a different level and pace of play. It seems as though the second year left – footer is going through an adjustsment period. He’s reacquainting himself with the position after playing as a left winger and holding mdfielder during his rookie campaign. I think eventually Wallace will come into his own at this spot.
While players are dealing with health issues and returning from suspension, it’s important to remember that previous coach Tom Soehn had the club start off the season in a 3-5-2. Then the club switched to a 4-4-2 later in the year. The club did this after acquiring Julius James from Houston Dynamo. James had some solid moments, especially in the CONCACAF Champions League.
It should be stated that DCU knew what they were getting when they made the move for the defender from Trinidad &amp; Tobago. Houston fans had already witnessed it. James is one who has tremendous raw talent and skill. Yet, he is clearly an unpolished product. If James can ever reach his potential, then DC will have a formidable central defender.
One big key to the formation switch is noting how Ben Olsen (retirement) and Clyde Simms (injury) are severely missed. I’m sorry, but asking journeyman Kurt Morsink to cover the same ground as those two is not gonna happen. Morsink is someone who I would consider to be a serviceable reserve option. Granted also, Morsink isn’t technically being asked to cover the same ground as Olsen and Simms, as there is an extra center back now. However, I’d take Olsen and Simms any day over the combination of Morsink and whichever interchangeable part is available to line up next to Jakovic.
Clyde Simms is in my mind, one of the most underrated defensive midfielders in MLS. Until his recent injury problems, he was something of an iron man for DC United, appearing in nearly every fixture. He covers a lot of ground and is a workhorse in the midfield. He&nbsp;was also&nbsp;a key distribution point, building up from the back. Simms has a pretty good long range shot as well.
Ben Olsen is missed is so many ways. First and foremost, he was an inspirational leader on and off the pitch. Olsen for a long time had been an integral part of the club’s locker room chemistry.
On the pitch, age and severe ankle problems took away some of his pace and cutting ability, Olsen still had a lot offer. As mentioned, he no longer had the same speed. This forced a move from his spot on the wing to a role as a holding midfielder.
Olsen excelled at this new position. Playing inside now and alongside the roaming Clyde Simms, Olsen was able to use his intellgence and soccer IQ to help the team. The US National Team veteran played gritty and was key in breaking down opponent’s enterprising moves forward. He was also still&nbsp;very good&nbsp;in link up play.
Having these two in front of the backline helped clog up the midfield, limiting the space opposing teams had to work with. They also contributed to what was a very solid passing midfield.
Moving on to the attack minded players, United lost two of their more creative players this offseason, Fred and Christian Gomez.
Fred was an interesting talent. Personally, I think he had perhaps the best ball control on the team. He’s clearly skilled with the ball at his feet. However, he was plagued by poor finishing.
I can recall countless times when the Brazilian winger / playmaker completely missed a wide open net after being fed in nicely by teammates. With that being said, Fred did provide some of the better service on the team and he always had to be accounted for by the opposing team.
United were at their best the last several years when Gomez (or briefly Marcelo Gallardo) was at the top of his game. United had guys who could put the ball in the back of the net, but Gomez gave them someone who could find his teammate’s through a narrow window and unlock the defense.
One of the things that made Gomez so good at setting up teammates, was that he was not afraid to push forward and create his own shot. At times, it actually seemed as though he looked shot first. Needless to say, I feel he is a player who made others around him better by putting them on in the right positions.
This current United team lacks that. Yes, they have tried to play with a pair of two way players in the center of midfield, as opposed to using a more tradional playmaker. In either formation, you still want a key creative talent in the middle.
While Santino Quaranta is very capable at doing a decent job and perhaps eventually excelling there, I still think that the right wing is his best spot. It’s also clear that United misses something by his abscence there.&nbsp; In fact, while the club has yet to find a solution to their problem, they have played more inspired since sliding Quaranta back out wide and inserting Jaime Moreno in the middle.
Moreno plays well in that creative role, essentially guiding the flow of the attack. The Bolivian MLS legend also seems to partner well with Aussiee striker, Danny Allsopp.&nbsp; Having&nbsp;Moreno on the pitch instantly raises&nbsp;United’s soccer IQ on the pitch.&nbsp; However, because of his age, it’s a delicate balancing act&nbsp;managing his minutes.&nbsp; &nbsp;
Looking at the rest of the midfield and striking corps, I feel that last year’s rookie if the year contender, Chris Pontius, is better suited to playing on the wing as well. Last season, Pontius was sort of a jack of all trades, playing all over the midfield and as a striker.&nbsp; This year, Curt Onalfo initially elected to start Pontius as the lead striker. The early returns seem to show it’s not the best place to deploy him.
It’s still open for debate whether it’s better to have him move around the pitch or stay at one position, both for the club and Pontius’s development as a player.&nbsp; Does&nbsp;United and Pontius benefit more by having him polish&nbsp;the versatility he’s capable of or by having him really sharpen his skills at one spot.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Perhaps he will find some time on the wing with Salvadoran playmaker Cristian Castillo struggling with his form.
Castillo has incredible skill on the ball, yet has struggled to make an impact with United. His ball control even overshadows the ability of the aforementioned Fred.&nbsp; Something that also might be a benefit to both him andhe club is his passing ability. Castillo has a tendency to rely on flashy moves and tries to make the razzle dazzle play, instead of making the simple passes that may be more needed.&nbsp; When he’s focused on linking up fluidly with teammates rather than making the highlight reel, Castillo can be a deadly&nbsp;component to the attack.&nbsp; &nbsp;
Castillo, who has brought large throngs of Salvadoran fans to RFK Stadium is simply too talented stay playing at this current level. He is also going through a period of adjustment.
All this midfield attacking talk leads us to the point of the spear, the players called upon to put on the (literally) finishing touches. DC United parted ways with their leading goal scorer over the past three seasons, Luciano Emilio.
Emilio had seen his productivity drop over each year and the club felt he was being overpaid for what he was producing. While that may be the case, they clearly have a void to fill. Emilio wasn’t a perfect finisher, but he wasn’t afraid to shoot when he had an opening.
That seems to be one of the key problems facing United so far this season. The offense has displayed an ability to get into the attacking third, (even in the 4 – 0 smashing by KC) but has not been able to get off quality shots on goal.
If you think about it, DC United has let go two recent MLS MVP’s, players who were crucial to the club’s ability to score goals. They lost a creative talent who had been with the team for several seasons in Fred and lost franchise staple Ben Olsen to retirement.
You throw in key injuries and you see a team that has a gutted core. A core that perhaps has needed some youthful change for a while.
All this while going through a coaching switch and a change in philosophy on the pitch. MLS does prescribe to a recipe for parity. However, even in this environment, such a vast amount of change doesn’t come without it’s rebuilding and adjustment time. The evidence is on the pitch.
DCU does have some&nbsp;good young talent developing, including 17 year old midfielder Andy Najar. The growth of players such as him, Pontius and Wallace is crucial to the club returning to their former glories.

What Has Gone Wrong with DC United? : League Staple in the Cellar - World Soccer Talk

What Has Gone Wrong with DC United? : League Staple in the Cellar

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