Matchday 11: DCU at RSL
Easy one for United tonight, right? Well, remember what happened last year -- two late PKs and a loss that sent D.C. spiraling after its great start.
BIG SURPRISE IN THE STARTING LINEUP: Jay Nolly in goal.
Don't worry, nothing wrong with Troy Perkins. Assistant coach Mark Simpson tells me they have wanted to get Nolly a game, and with United facing several mid-week matches this summer, it was the right time. The fact that United is facing Nolly's old team is coincidental. "He's come a long way since preseason," Simpson said.
The rest of the lineup is Namoff, Erpen, Boswell, Gros, Fred, Olsen, Carroll, Gomez, Dyachenko and Emilio.
A few other notes:
*Will Chang is here (he's everywhere!). He tells me, later this summer, he would like to arrange a photo of Jaime Moreno and Barry Bonds, who are both on the brink of historic records in their respective leagues. (Besides being one of United's primary investors, he is a part owner of the San Francisco Giants.)
*RSL's Andy Williams greeted Ben Olsen by joking, "You got three goals in a game before me!?"
*Nolly's wife is from the Salt Lake area and he distributed about 40 tickets to family and friends.
*Alecko Eskandarian says he's enjoying the mountain weather and, for the time being, is living with Nick Rimando and his wife.
Before kickoff, take a few minutes to read about Eddie Pope.
As usual, please use this forum for your pregame, in-game and postgame thoughts. I will return very late tonight with bonus quotes and player ratings.
By Steve Goff |
June 23, 2007; 7:43 PM ET
D.C. United
Previous: Saturday in the Park |
Next: The Aftermath
Posted by: dep | June 23, 2007 8:20 PM
OK. We need to win this. We are 4 points behind NY with two games in hand. KC lost to Columbus, not a typo, Columbus.
Bittersweet article on Pope. What a player, what a man.
Posted by: I-270, Exit 1 | June 23, 2007 9:14 PM
I feel bad for Jacqui.
Posted by: sitruc | June 23, 2007 9:20 PM
Nolly...now? I wish him luck, but wouldn't it be easier to just let him start Open Cup games? Maybe I'm superstitious but I'd rather not mess with the lineup any more than necessary. Especially with Copa call-ups taking away Olsen and Boz for at least two games, just leave it be.
Posted by: DCUfanSE | June 23, 2007 9:27 PM
Seems like Nolly and Dyachenko are having a trial run in the starting XI. Good luck to them both. Hope Soehn sees something he likes.
Posted by: QJA | June 23, 2007 9:29 PM
101 degrees???????????
Posted by: Freddie B | June 23, 2007 9:43 PM
is this on radio anywhere online...besides the MLS pay site?
Posted by: SF | June 23, 2007 9:58 PM
I can't tell if I'm watching soccer or kickball. Can someone hold posession for longer than 10 seconds?
Posted by: CY | June 23, 2007 10:03 PM
The artificial turf is horrid.
Posted by: Natural Grass | June 23, 2007 10:04 PM
Radio: 1160 according to United's web site.
Posted by: Sec 131 | June 23, 2007 10:08 PM
it's on www.wmet1160.com
Posted by: radio | June 23, 2007 10:09 PM
Thanks
Posted by: SF | June 23, 2007 10:09 PM
The turf is making this game almost unwatchable. When is SLC getting their new stadium in Sandy? This is a poor excuse for a playing surface.
Posted by: nm | June 23, 2007 10:24 PM
Ugh. This better improve or I'm going to be _extremely_ cranky when I arrive in California.
Vamos United!
Posted by: Colm | June 23, 2007 10:24 PM
well that is 45+ minutes of my life that I want back. Come on DCU show some life!
Posted by: double ugh | June 23, 2007 10:29 PM
Ugh, the field is indeed a wart on good futbol. Emilio and Fred look tired, which is still better than Rod D looked. Even Olsen's work looks pedestrian. Nolley is not ready. Poor positioning and technique on those corners...
C'mon coach, it's up to you to turn this team into a winner. Perhaps Guy can breathe some life...
Posted by: JkR | June 23, 2007 10:33 PM
It is a terrible surface.
Boswell got murdered on that goal. Maracaibo is going to be an abattoir on Thursday.
Posted by: Mastodon Juan | June 23, 2007 10:33 PM
plenty of time dc will score 2
Posted by: hopeful | June 23, 2007 10:45 PM
nolly, huh?
Posted by: SF | June 23, 2007 10:46 PM
Watching Nolly play makes me glad that Perkins did not get called up.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 23, 2007 10:47 PM
This game is unwatchable. First, the turf is horrible and DCU has pretty much mailed it in. I hope it ends 4-0 and these guys get their a$$es reamed out in practice. Disgusting!
Posted by: Suck | June 23, 2007 10:51 PM
"plenty of time dc will score 2"
are you still talking about this game.
Posted by: in RSL | June 23, 2007 11:14 PM
Well, that was sobering.
Posted by: RJ | June 23, 2007 11:32 PM
I'm not sure which is worse, Nolly or RSL's field.
Posted by: noptov52 | June 23, 2007 11:34 PM
Rsl plan. Get ahead and then fall to the ground every two seconds, roll around n waste time. Rsl should wear skirts. Also, just because boswell is handsome n a fan fave doesn't mean he's playn well. He's had a subpar year but no one notices because they're too busy blaming erpen 4 everything
Posted by: matt y | June 23, 2007 11:34 PM
I am glad we are giving up points to another team, colorado is struggling, why don't we give some points there too.. Nolly was awful, this is almost as depresing as US roster for the copa america
Posted by: Lanorte | June 23, 2007 11:35 PM
Boswell was at fault - not Nolly - for the first goal. Good thing Argentina doesn't have players like Findlay.
Posted by: Nogra Rover | June 23, 2007 11:36 PM
Boswell got burned on both goals. He was not playing smart. I hope he doesn't plan on making those mistakes in Venezuela.
Posted by: DuPont Mike | June 23, 2007 11:37 PM
Great call tommy, Nolly is so great
Posted by: dcunited | June 23, 2007 11:39 PM
What was all that nonesense from the league about game first and turf rules...I've played on crappy indoor turfs that hold the ball better than that disgrace up in Utah.
WHY IS BRAIN CARROL STILL ON THIS TEAM???
Posted by: Kosh | June 23, 2007 11:40 PM
What was all that nonesense from the league about game first and turf rules...I've played on crappy indoor turfs that hold the ball better than that disgrace up in Utah.
WHY IS BRIAN CARROL STILL ON THIS TEAM???
Posted by: Kosh | June 23, 2007 11:40 PM
The turf is horrible. I was there to see a match two weeks ago...but the stadium itself is really nice. Easy entry/exit from the stadium. You can get out in under 3 minutes, unlike RFK Caverns. Also food there is cheap - $3.50 for a brat. Better prices than at RFK. In their game program they had an image of the new stadium - due to open next year, 20 miles south in the suburbs - and it looks absolutely stunning!
DC looked like garbage. They could not penetrate the 18 on the dribble to save their lives. They were limited to playing long balls into the box, and inaccurately at that.
Finely's pace was eye-opening for DC. The backline simply cannot deal effectively with pace.
Dismal overall. If Goff gives anyone higher than a 4, I will do a spit-take with my coffee...
Posted by: Erick | June 23, 2007 11:43 PM
Oh yeah...and they win as soon as Freddy leaves for U-20 duty.
Ha ha ha ha ha!
Posted by: Erick | June 23, 2007 11:47 PM
Embarassing. RSL's first win of the season. Nice one Soehn, the team didn't look prepared at all, and you show blatant overconfidence by pulling your #1 keeper from the starting lineup. Of course your team will take RSL lightly, when the coach isn't even showing them any respect.
Posted by: DCUfanSE | June 23, 2007 11:47 PM
Dyanchenko and Boswell are the only players who deserve a 4 or less.
RSL are better than they've shown. If Mehdi Ballouchi had a good coach, he would be in the MLS first XI.
Posted by: Mastodon Juan | June 23, 2007 11:51 PM
Jay Nolly, is he the only backup we have
Posted by: Wndering eyes | June 23, 2007 11:57 PM
is this it for dychenkno and nolly? an early sub for rod and a goalie in no mans land with no composure in the box
Posted by: soccergod | June 24, 2007 12:01 AM
Hi my name is Louie who is nolly fellow, he is bad I am 7 awake very late, parents will get mad, I can be goalie
Posted by: Louie | June 24, 2007 12:12 AM
In fairness to Nolly, there was not much he could do about the first goal - 1v1 breakaway. A save would have been nice, but he was hung out to dry by the defense.
The second goal was another story. Yet another (!) breakaway, and he did not position quite right and narrow the angles...he let Finley beat him near post.
And RSL is indeed as bad as everyone thinks. I watched them play against China...the same China that got smoked 4-0 by the USMNT. They played like a high school team (they used quite a few of guys that played tonight). They only scored in the final few minutes on an ugly scrapper goal by Esky, who came on in the 63rd min.
It it were not for a dreadful clearance by RSL, it would (should) have been 2-0.
Posted by: Erick | June 24, 2007 12:16 AM
Hey maybe bob bradley can call up Jay nolly
Posted by: USA123 | June 24, 2007 12:18 AM
he it's not nolly's fault its the idiot who decided to put him in. With no games under his belt an away game with altitude? what was he thinking
Posted by: Barra | June 24, 2007 12:22 AM
hey it's not nolly's fault its the idiot who decided to put him in. With no games under his belt an away game with altitude? what was he thinking
Posted by: Barra | June 24, 2007 12:22 AM
just a question, why has Kpene dropped to the bench, with moreno gone I would have thought thst kpene would start the past 2 games
Posted by: Marco10 | June 24, 2007 12:24 AM
give it up to goff who called the game...just hope the spiraling part is off the mark
Posted by: good call | June 24, 2007 12:32 AM
So I leave RFK after having watched the Nationals blow a lead and lose in rather excrutiating fashion to the Cleveland Indians in the 9th inning thinking, "Hey, there's still time to catch at least the second half of the DCU-RSL game. No worries. That'll make you feel better."
Bleeeeagh...
Posted by: Juan-John | June 24, 2007 1:13 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.

Perkins on the bench. Nolly in goal tonight!!!!!!!