Before Extra Time – Page 8 – Soccer ramblings from RVA

Before Extra Time: soccer ramblings from RVA

Does no Clyde Simms mean the return of Kurt Morsink?

Well, it looks like United will be without another defensive player today. Clyde Simms has injured his calf and will not be featured in the match tonight against the Revs.

With potential replacement Perry Kitchen away with the national team and Conor Shanosky not yet ready, the choice comes down to two players: Branko Boskovic and Kurt Morsink. Boskovic could get the start if Olsen thinks that he needs a little more offensive firepower to break down the Revs. With three defensive starters out and a good offensive performance against the Crew, however, I do not know if Olsen wants to start out with a different gameplan.

Therefore, I think it is possible that our old friend Kurt Morsink will get the start. Morsink will allow Dax McCarty to play the same role he did in the opener, and not try to shoehorn him into a more defensive role. I liked the way Morsink played after Olsen took over and he can slot into the Clyde Simms role, albeit with a greater likelihood for cards and a bit less quality. If there is not enough firepower on the field with Morsink out there, Boskovic can always come in later (as can/will Charlie Davies).

Therefore, I predict:

Onstad
Korb Brasesco Jakovic Burch
Najar Morsink McCarty Pontius
Wolff Ngwenya

Vamos United!

March 26, 2011
Oh hey, there’s another game on tomorrow night…

Not only is there a DC United game on tomorrow afternoon, there is a US Men’s National Team match as well. It is the first time we are going to see the first team players and, since the Egypt friendly was canceled, it is yet to be seen how much Bob Bradley is going to experiment and how much he is going to get his team ready for the Gold Cup.

The defense for the game is a little up in the air. Everyone knows that Oguchi Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra will be starting; it remains to be seen what Bradley will do with the other two positions. He could go chalk and start Jay DeMerit, who had a very good World Cup and is settling into his position as the captain of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Or he could see what he has in Tim Ream, considered by many to be the top young central defender in the pipeline currently. Everyone seems to think/hope that Bradley will go with Ream in this match, to see how he handles the firepower of Argentina, and I hope so too. Jay DeMerit is still an international-starting quality player, but we need to know soon after the Gold Cup who his replacement will eventually be (although that could be said about every position on the back line except Gooch’s).

The other choice to make is who takes Steve Cherudolo’s place at right back. The choices here are Eric Lichaj, Timothy Chandler, and Jonathan Spector. Lichaj currently plies his trade with Leeds United, on loan from Gerrard Houllier’s doghouse; Timothy Chandler plays for FC Nuremburg in the 2. Bundesliga; and Spector currently plays central midfield for West Ham United. I think that Lichaj will get the starting nod, since he is currently playing at that position in the Championship, but I would not be surprised to see Spector get the start either. Timothy Chandler will not make the field in this game.

The midfield is pretty set, especially with the unfortunate injury to Stu Holden. Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey will be out on the wings, and Maurice Edu and Jermaine Jones will be in the middle. I keep hearing all of these complaints about Bob Bradley’s nepotism with regards to Michael Bradley; but he has been a starter at his club for, basically, his entire international career. It’s not like Bob has thrown him in there for no reason. So until he does, I give Bob the benefit of the doubt.

Strikers? Well, who knows. Jozy Altidore is basically a lock to start and I guess you play Edson Buddle off of him, with Juan Agudelo coming in for the second half. If Stu Holden weren’t injured, you could see more of a 4-2-3-1, with Altidore as the lone striker. Will Charlie Davies be ready for the Gold Cup? I doubt it, but I am sure Bradley would appreciate it if he was.

Anyways, enough bloviating. Against Argentina, I think we are going to see the patented Bob Bradley empty bucket, especially with Stu Holden out. So, that means:

Howard
Lichaj Ream Onyewu Bocanegra
Donovan Edu Jones Dempsey
Altidore Buddle

Predictions? Argentina is Argentina, but they are bringing a team that is light on caps for the most part and the United States will not be scared. I am going to go with a 2-2 draw, with Messi scoring a brace but Dempsey and Altidore leveling. I expect to see a slightly more experimental roster for the Paraguay game, but we will talk about that Sunday or Monday.

UPDATE: Apparently it will be a three man midfield of Jones, Bradley, and Edu, with Edu in the more advanced role. Ergo, I see the 4-2-3-1 of:

Howard
Lichaj Ream Oneywu Bocanegra
Bradley Jones
Donovan Edu Dempsey
Altidore

March 25, 2011
Settle down, folks: DC United vs. New England Revolution

Well, that was quite a first week, wasn’t it? The main thing that I am worried about is the hype, my own included, that has begun to build around this DC United team. They are obviously better than last year; but let’s not lock down their playoff spot quite yet. United will have two defenders out this week: Perry Kitchen is on duty with the U-20 National Team and Jed Zayner will be at BlackFinn with the fans due to a strained hamstring. United saw Kitchen’s absence coming and that is why the picked up Rodrigo Brasesco; from what I saw in the 20 minutes he played against the Crew, I think he will be solid.

This will be the last time I mention it (probably), since it is beating the dead horse, but this is where United misses Julius James. We saw in the Crew game that Perry Kitchen is better than James, but cutting him and the injury to Zayner have United playing a rookie outside back again. Jordan Graye was put in a tough situation last year and he made some rookie mistakes; Chris Korb does not have the pressure of being the full time starter on him, so hopefully he will be able to buckle down and survive this game.

However, if there had to be a week to have two defenders out, this is one of a few that would be near the top of the list. The New England Revolution have a solid defense, as evidenced in their draw against the LA Galaxy, but they do not have enough to really pressure United going forward, outside of Shalrie Joseph. Could they poach a goal through the air? Yes. Could Chris Korb make a rookie mistake and let in a goal? Yes. Could Dejan Jakovic have a patented bone headed defensive gaffe? Of course. But I do not see the Revolution having enough consistent pressure to break down United’s defense outside of those (and other similar) breakdowns.

Other than those two positions, the rest of the lineup should be the same as what we saw against the Crew. I predict:

Onstad
Korb Jakovic Brasesco Burch
Najar Simms McCarty Pontius
Wolff Ngwenya

Charlie Davies will get a similar amount of playing time as in the previous game (or perhaps come in at halftime if Ngwenya plays like he did last week). My prediction is a 1-1 draw, with a goal by Najar outworking two defenders. I hope I am wrong; I hope that Josh Wolff plays as well as he did last week, I hope that Joseph Ngwenya shows up, and I hope United’s midfield controls the game again. But I also think that this young United team will be brought back to earth a bit in this game, which in the long run will be good for them. DC United fans are hungry for a good team and if this team continues to play well, I think the expectations could become crushing. So let’s all agree to sit back and enjoy this season and, if great things happen, to be pleasantly surprised. Next year can be the year for expectations.

March 25, 2011
Power Rankings, Week 1
The first week full weekend of MLS action obviously leads to the first power rankings of the season! I can already tell that some of my preseason predictions might be going up in flames…
1. Real Salt Lake: A 1-0 victory is no reason to move RSL from the top spot, and if they keep grinding them out it won’t matter what the line is.
2. LA Galaxy: A slow start against the Sounders and against the Revolution keeps the Galaxy solidly in second place.
3. New York Red Bulls: The Red Bulls continued Seattle’s woes and keep themselves solidly on top of the East.
4. FC Dallas: Another draw? Seems like FC Dallas have refound their midseason form.
5. Colorado Rapids: The defending champs look to prove me wrong in two ways, beating up on my surprise team.
6. DC United: Perhaps a premature jump, but compared to the rest of the East, it can hardly be begrudged.
7. Sporting KC: SKC’s offense looks potent; their defense, especially against Chivas, leaves something to be desired.
8. Chicago Fire: I really do not have any opinions of the Chicago Fire, but a draw against the MLS Cup runners-up is nothing to dismiss.
9. Seattle Sounders: Seattle got a tough draw in its first two games, but no points in their first two matches is tough for their desires of an MLS Cup and a Supporter’s Shield.
10. Philadelphia Union: The Union surprised the team that most thought would be in the East’s top three; will the Union take the Dynamo’s place?
11. San Jose Earthquakes: A loss to the top team in the league won’t drop you much; I hope my preseason predictions are wrong for the ‘Quakes, as I still have a place in my heart for Bobby Convey.
12. Houston Dynamo: The Dynamo tumble from their preseason position after a disappointing loss to the Union. Perhaps they East won’t be the walk to the playoffs some of their fans were hoping for?
13. Chivas USA: Chivas’ defense was supposed to be its strength, but that did not happen against Omar Bravo and Sporting KC. Their offense, however, may help lead them out of the basement.
14. New England Revolution: The Revolution played with some pluck against the Galaxy, earning the draw.
15. Columbus Crew: The Crew are rebuilding, but their first match may leave their fans questioning the direction of that rebuilding.
16. Vancouver Whitecaps: A good win this week for the team that many were considering to be the worst in the league; however, this is as high as they go until they beat someone other than the actual worst team in the league.
17. Portland Timbers: The Timbers are looking like an expansion team and looking to prove me wrong in my predictions.
18. Toronto FC: Getting whipped by an expansion team is no way to start, especially for a team that had so much turmoil over the offseason.
March 20, 2011
United Reborn: DCU vs. the Columbus Crew
United Reborn. So said a sign in the crowd during DC United’s 3-1 victory last night over the Columbus Crew, in a battle of rebuilding Eastern Conference teams. While both are rebuilding, they are coming from different places. Columbus is rebuilding after being second in the East last year and winning the Supporter’s Shield the year before, but with two first round playoff exits. While some (Hans Backe) would argue that the Supporter’s Shield should be more important than the MLS Cup, it is obvious that Columbus does not agree. United, on the other hand, is coming off the the worst season in MLS history.

The first half looked a little like last season: a lot of possession, some chances, but nothing being converted. However, the second half was something not seen last year. Josh Wolff’s hard work turned into a deserved goal, Charlie Davies slotted home a penalty kick, and he outworked the Columbus back line to put away his second goal. DC United did not reach 3 total goals in league play until their first win, the 6th game against the then Kansas City Wizards on May 5. That was also the day they got their first points of the season. This year, 3 goals and 3 points in the first game.

It is too early to declare that United is Reborn. It is too early to make any serious predictions about the prospect of postseason play (even though I already did). But regardless what else happens, this team will be more fun to watch than last year’s version and Olsen will not let them quit, no matter what the circumstances.

On to the ratings:
- Pat Onstad – 6: He got into trouble on a few crosses, but he settled in later in the game. He made some key saves and, all in all, looked good. There was nothing he could do about the PK.
- Jed Zayner – 7: Gave up a foul in a semi-dangerous area early on, but he played well the rest of the game. He did a good job getting forward, played in a nice pass into Joseph Ngweyna, poked away a ball from Jeff Cunningham that he would have put on frame, and he cleaned up a mistake made by Dejan Jakovic early in the second half. And he assisted on United’s first goal, scored by Josh Wolff. Hopefully it was just cramps that took him off in the 70th minute.
- Dejan Jakovic – 5: His clearances were average; his favorite play seemed to be punting the ball high up into the air in no particular direction. He was also beaten once or twice into the box, but he became more solid as the game went on. The penalty he gave up was not his fault, however. I hope Perry Kitchen continues to be a good influence on him, as he has all the talents to be a high class centerback.
- Perry Kitchen – 7: Perry Kitchen will be one of the best center backs in the league. He had poise under pressure and shut down Columbus’ designated player one on one, when he was the last man to beat. I almost want the U-20 National Team to lose their qualifiers, just so he will be back to us sooner.
- Marc Burch – 7: Marc Burch had a nice clearance off the line early in the game to keep the score level. He also played well going forward, playing a nice ball into the box that Josh Wolff juuuuust barely missed, and assisting with Charlie Davies’ second goal. It is a little surprising after he barely got any playing time in the preseason, but his performance seems to solidify his starting role. Preseason competition pushed Burch, and pushed him back into his starting spot.
- Andy Najar – 7: Andy Najar picked up where he left off last year, but also added a noticeably better job with his defensive responsibilities. He put in some nice crosses while being double teamed all night. If teams continue to double team him, that will keep more space open for McCarty, Pontius, and the strikers.
- Dax McCarty – 8: All night, Dax McCarty was outworking and outhustling everyone in Columbus’ midfield, and put some nice moves on Columbus’ defenders while in the attack. He was controlling and organizing the midfield, linking up well between the defense and the wingers and strikers. The only blemish on his play was some poor set pieces, but those should improve.
- Clyde Simms – 7: A classic Clyde Simms performance: nothing flashy or exceptional, but did the defensive heavy lifting in the midfield.
- Chris Pontius – 8: Like Dax McCarty, Chris Pontius was outworking the defenders that he was matched up against, making dangerous runs and putting in dangerous crosses. He had some nice shots early on, especially the ones where he turned and put the ball on frame. That was sorely missing from United last year. His hustle also drew a penalty, which was converted by Charlie Davies.
- Josh Wolff – 9: My man of the match. Josh Wolff was dangerous from the beginning of the game until around the 75th minute, when he began to tire. He has running hard and fast, and could have had two more goals if not for great saves by Columbus’ keeper. He embarassed Julius James, catching him napping and almost beating him for a goal. He also had good crosses that could have (and should have) been put on frame by Ngwenya. He looks to be snatching the starting spot which seemed to be Ngwenya’s to lose (which he may have).
- Joseph Ngwenya – 3: This was not a good game for Joseph Ngwenya. He was dispossessed early and often and his first touch was often heavy, leading to turnovers. When he was given good opportunities from Wolff, Pontius, and others, he could not put them on frame, either skying them over the goal or having to play the ball back because he did not shoot fast enough. I am sure he is hearing the footsteps of Charlie Davies challenging for his starting spot.
Substitutes:
- Charlie Davies – 9: There is not much more to say about Charlie Davies’ debut that hasn’t been already said. While expectations must stay tempered, it is an encouraging sign. His speed and skill on the ball looked a step ahead of MLS defenders. His first start could come as soon as this coming Saturday in place of Joseph Ngwenya.
- Rodrigo Brasesco – 7: Came on at around the 70th minute for a (hopefully) just tired Jed Zayner. His 20 minutes of play left me confident that he can do a good job standing in for Perry Kitchen while he is away with the U-20 National Team.
- Santino Quaranta – NA: Only got one or two touches on the ball; did play well in today’s Reserve League match, though.
March 20, 2011
Captain Dax McCarty, great expectations, and the Columbus Crew

So, it is finally here. DC United will start their season this Saturday against the Columbus Crew, 7.30pm, at RFK Stadium and on Comcast Sports Net. This first match against the Crew is a good indicator of where the team is right now: Columbus is in a similar rebuilding mode as United, and a win might put them in a position to have a good year. In an Eastern Conference that has many teams in turmoil, why can’t United grab one of the three automatic qualification spots for the playoffs?

Even though pundits have been predicting/hoping for the playoffs for DC United, it is still ridiculous to be predicting that for the team that finished with the worst record in the history of the league last year. It would be nice, and I am sure that playoffs are the team’s goal, but that is not the only metric by which success (or failure) of this season can be measured. I believe that United can have a successful season without making the playoffs, as long as they are making strides towards that goal. Next year? Playoffs are a reasonable expectation and a metric for measuring the success of a season. I am slightly worried that United fans, including myself, are putting too much faith into the infamous parity of the league and are setting themselves up for disappointed if United cannot meet their lofty expectations. Let’s give Olsen and United an allowance for the Schellas Hyndman plan and not the Curt Onalfo special.

One of our long standing questions about the midfield seems to have been answered. With Ben Olsen choosing Dax McCarty as the club’s captain for this season, it seems as though that means that Santino Quaranta will start the year on the bench. And with ‘Tino on the bench, that can only mean one thing: Andy Najar! I think Olsen may have been wanting to start the year with Najar on the bench early in the preseason, but with Najar being that much better than Quaranta right now, he just could not justify it. With that choice, and the need for Clyde Simms to start in the middle with McCarty, it looks like the roster has (finally) taken its shape. Unless there are any injuries, we should see

Onstad
Zayner Jakovic Kitchen Woolard
Najar Simms McCarty Pontius
Davies Ngwenya

Now, having just said “barring injuries,” Travis Clark and others are reporting that Charlie Davies picked up a groin tweak earlier this week, and Clark expects Davies to come off the bench. Now, I am hoping that is wrong, but I would expect to see Josh Wolff in Davies’ place if that is true. If he does not start, hopefully Charlie can get in at least a good 20 minutes off the bench.

Well, what about a prediction? I think that United is going to pull out a 2-1 victory, with goals by Pontius and Ngwenya, and with Columbus scoring a goal off of a Dejan Jakovic gaffe that makes us all wish for Julius James.

March 17, 2011
2011 MLS Predictions
Welcome to the first annual Before Extra Time predictions! I’m going to take a whack at making some predictions this year, so that you all can laugh when they are terribly wrong.

Western Conference:
1. Real Salt Lake- RSL has the depth and skill to make the long run and win the Supporter’s Shield.
2. LA Galaxy- The Galaxy are good, but they’ll be content resting players every once and awhile to keep them in prime shape for a run at the MLS Cup.
3. FC Dallas-The MLS Cup runners up still have a dangerous team, though they will miss Dax McCarty over the long haul.
4. Seattle Sounders-The obvious/cliche make or break year for the Sounders. Did their early success lead to unsustainable expectations?
5. Colorado Rapids-The MLS Cup Champions are going to have a hard road to repeat, but no one saw that from them last year either.
6. Portland Timbers-Portland is going to surprise some established MLS teams this year; they will be closer to the Sounders model than the Union.
7. San Jose Earthquakes-Some people are picking the ‘Quakes to repeat their success of last year; I don’t see it.
8. Chivas USA-Chivas is going to have a decent defense, but a lack of offense is going to keep them where they’ve been recently. At the bottom.
9. Vancouver Whitecaps-The Whitecaps are building for the long term; let’s hope it pans out for them.
Eastern Conference
1. New York Red Bulls- As much as it pains me to say it, NYRB are far and away the class of the Eastern Conference. Although I wouldn’t mind it too much if this prediction were wrong.
2. Houston Dynamo-Moving to the East is the best thing that could have happened to the Dynamo. Kinnear is reloading, not rebuilding, and he should be back in the playoffs this year.
3. DC United-Homer pick alert! In a weak East, United has the (newly acquired) skill to rise back up into playoff contention.
4. Columbus Crew-The Crew are going to be better than people think; they have a culture of success and I don’t see that fading too much.
5. Sporting Kansas City-SKC will be contending in the East and I think they will just barely slip into the playoffs.
6. Chicago Fire-They seem to want to be the NYRB of the midwest, like the Cubs are in baseball, but without actually doing anything splashy.
7. Philadelphia Union-They will be better than last year, but so will everyone else.
8. Toronto FC-A strange offseason struggle with DeRo is TFC in a microcosm.
9. New England Revolution-Who am I to doubt Steve Nicol, but I just don’t see it this year from the Revolution.
Supporter’s Shield Winner: Real Salt Lake.

Playoff seeding:

1W: RSL
2W: LA Galaxy
3W: FCD
1E: NYRB
2E: Houston Dynamo
3E: DCU
1WC: Seattle Sounders
2WC: Colorado Rapids
3WC: Columbus Crew
4WC: Sporting KC

MLS Cup Champion: FC Dallas

My second bold prediction? DC United will bring back another US Open Cup. While the main focus will be on getting into the playoffs, I think that the US Open Cup is an attainable and worthy goal (probably more attainable than the playoff spot that I predicted). United is one of the few teams that puts real effort into the US Open Cup, and I think that will pay off this year with United’s first major trophy since 2008.

Who’s ready for First Kick?!
March 15, 2011
Boskovic and ‘Tino will be on the bench (and other thoughts)
We win trophies! The first piece of silverware of the season is safely in the trophy cabinet. While a trophy is always good, its really the play of the team with which I am concerned. On the whole, I am encouraged by the team’s play; I think they are better than last year’s team at this point and this team can still improve, while last year’s had already peaked. But there were some particularly good and particularly bad performances in yesterday’s game.

The good:
- The forwards: Charlie Davies and Joseph Ngewnya put the Toronto FC defense on its heels with their speed, something that United did not have at all last season (except from Najar). They have also been able to put balls in the back of the net and not try to walk them in. We still need to see consistency out of this pair, but so far, it looks encouraging.
- The wingers: Just like Davies and Ngewnya, Andy Najar and Chris Pontius and the speed to fly up the wings and put in good crosses, unlike wingers from last season like Brandon Barklage, Christian Castillo, Boyzzz Khumalo (who all started multiple games). Pontius has at least a couple assists this preseason and Najar has last year as his body of proof. If these two can stay healthy, they should provide good service to the two new forwards that are up top.
- Scoring more than one goal! It was nice to see United actually score more than one goal against MLS competition, even if it was after TFC went down a man.
The bad
- Dejan Jakovic: Ugh. His play yesterday was a continuation of the stupid mistakes he made last season. With Perry Kitchen looking like the rookie that he is, Jakovic needed to stop up and boss the back line. He didn’t. Why did we cut Julius Jones again?
- Branko Boskovic: Boskovic is not really a central midfielder and it looks like he’s fallen behind Pontius on the depth chart on the wing. With the struggles of the two center backs, United needs a true holding midfielder, a role in which Dax McCarty is wasted. Therefore, Clyde Simms is more necessary than ever. With Davies and Ngwenya solidifying the starting positions up top, it looks like the only way that Boskovic is getting on the field is in a five man midfield. Ben Olsen did not chose Boskovic and, even though he is a designated player, Olsen does not seem forced to start him. He will not be starting on March 19.
- Santino Quaranta: Not really as much for his play on the field, but his play on the practice field. When he came out in the second half with the second string, it showed that Olsen is committed (as he should be) to putting the best squad that he can on the field, regardless of anything else. With Santino on the bench, it seems as though the armband will pass to Dax McCarty.
With Boskovic and Quaranta likely on the bench, who does that leave on the field? Here is my current (and probably final) prediction for the starting lineup on March 19:

Onstad
Zayner Jakovic Kitchen Woolard
Najar Simms McCarty(c) Pontius
Davies Ngwenya

Rosterology soon comes to an end, and real games soon begin! First Kick cannot come too soon.
March 13, 2011
Formation flux forever

The 2011 Carolina Challenge Cup is coming to an end, on the face, in a similar manner as the 2010 edition. DC United is winning matches, but not scoring very many goals. However, I see the two teams in completely different ways. The 2010 team reached the peak of its potential when it won the Carolina Challenge Cup and then fell off a cliff. The 2011 edition, on the other hand, is still coalescing, growing, and figuring out its personality.

Chris Pontius has gone from trade bait to possibly keeping United’s designated player on the bench. Ben Olsen has said that his natural position is on the left wing, which is also Branko Boskovic’s natural position. There are rumors that Boskovic is currently nursing an injury, and with Pontius on form that could push him into the starting spot; that said, I could see Pontius starting up top in a withdrawn forward role that would allow him to make the diagonal runs that are making him dangerous.

If Pontius does not play up top, then that leaves Josh Wolff, Joseph Ngwenya, and even Blake Brettschneider battling it out for the second forward position. I would give the nod currently to Ngwenya, with Wolff able to provide a spark off the bench, but don’t discount the 4 goals in under 90 total minutes that Brettchneider has contributed. He even looked like the better forward in the game against the Chicago Fire. I still think Charlie Davies will be given the starting role and some time to grow back into the position, but Brettschneider really could turn into a serviceable target forward. A steal in the supplemental draft even if he maxes out as a career backup, and an unbelievable steal if he turns into anything more.

And that’s not even to start discussing the midfield. Out of all of the four positions, I think only Dax McCarty is guaranteed a starting position. It could be Boskovic or Pontius on the left wing, Boskovic or Simms in the second middle position, and Quaranta or Najar on the right wing. So, in today’s game against Toronto FC, everyone assumes that we will see the final alignment, the final roster that will probably be the starting 11 on March 19. Who will that be? Well, here’s my guess:

Onstad
Zayner Jakovic Kitchen Woolard
Quaranta Simms McCarty Pontius
Ngwenya Davies

March 12, 2011
A few things I think I think after beating the Charleston Battery
And no, hopefully I do not turn into the soccer equivalent of Peter King; if I do, please, someone just smack me upside the head. Anyways, here are my random thoughts about D.C United’s 2-1 win over the Charleston Battery:
- Dax McCarty with an early knife just splitting open the Battery defense: that’s not something Kurt Morsink or Stephen King could do. He also captained the team, which I found significant: If Santino Quaranta isn’t starting, McCarty is the obvious captain. If ‘Tino is on the field, I still think he will be captain, since his play improved noticeably last season after being given the armband.
- Andy Najar started slowly in this match, got frustrated, and eventually got a yellow card for slamming the ball down after not getting a call that he should have. This, combined with other things Olsen has said and done over the past few months, still leaves me to believe that Najar will be starting out on the bench to begin the season, with Santino Quaranta starting in his place. I could definitely see Najar building steam and taking that spot back from ‘Tino as the season progresses, however.
- I don’t think that Joseph Ngywena or Josh Wolff will start, but they give United pace and work ethic off the bench, which is not something they had before. Ngywena also should not be putting himself in positions to get a penalty called on him, even if it was very soft.
- If Chris Pontius keeps playing like that, there is no way he’ll be in the bench. I think he’s going to play in the hole off of Charlie Davies, but he’ll have enough freedom to be able to go a little wide and make the diagonal runs that made him so dangerous against the Battery.
- That said, I still want to see some killer instinct. That game should have been more like 3-1 or 4-1; United needs to twist the dagger on teams that they dominate like that.
- United is going to miss Perry Kitchen when he’s gone with the U-20 National Team; hopefully he can be the kind of vocal leader that can put some more urgency into the play of Dejan Jakovic.
- Speaking of Jakovic, I love the way the Ben Olsen got after him for taking the more careless route and not heading the ball out of bands. According to the United Mania guys, Olsen yelled at McCarty (who was the captain) to get on Jakovic’s case. Hopefully actions like this can prevent a repeat of his disaster of a season of last year.
- So who is the starting 11 for the season opener right now? Well, obviously we will learn a lot more with the lineup for the Chicago Fire match on Wednesday, but for now, I would say it is:
Onstad
Zayner Jakovic Kitchen Woolard
Quaranta Simms McCarty Boskovic
Pontius Davies
March 7, 2011