DCU News & Notes
Not a lot of hard news to share, to be honest. The team returned to training today and will fly to Los Angeles early tomorrow morning for Thursday's match at Chivas USA.
Some of you asked whether Luciano Emilio was injured or upset (or both) when he was removed from the Dallas game with United comfortably ahead. I mentioned in an earlier thread that the plan all along was to get him out of the match if United was winning (because of his recovering hamstring), and that's what the club did. He's a competitor; he wants to play and he wants to score.
Here's Tom Soehn's take:
"There's no sense to run him when you have a four-goal lead. He still didn't want to come out. He's hungry for goals, and you love that about the guy, but regardless we've got to be smart."
Soehn, on Vanney: "He's done a great job. It took him a while to get healthy, but now that he is healthy, he gives us a calmness there, our shape is pretty darn good all the time whether we are pushed up high, so we are compact. He's impacting that a lot. We brought him in with the idea that he could help some of our other guys understand how to do that, and I think it's already showing."
Soehn, on balancing the defensive corps: "It's nice to have options and we have a lot of games. ... You are going to manage it obviously how sharp the guys are, injuries, who you are playing against, there are so many different things that you evaluate before you make your decision."
At some point, you have to make a decision, right?
"If our schedule ever thins out, then we'll probably be a bit more direct on how we do things. I don't see that coming anytime soon. ... Just because one of those guys is sitting out doesn't mean they are not good enough to start for our team. Everybody knows that all through the team, that we've been very fair and pretty honest with everybody and it takes a whole team to win a championship or win games."
Bobby Boswell, on returning to the starting lineup: "We learned the lineup the day of the game, the pregame meal. I had an idea. He kept telling me to keep working hard, 'You will eventually get your shot.' I'm a believer that if it ain't broke don't fix it. We were playing well. I wasn't sure it was broken before when I was pulled out, but at the same time, it's the nature of the business and you can't go acting crazy, you have to work hard and earn it back. I feel I've been working hard and I feel now I have to work even harder to make sure I am still out there because guys are playing well. It's fun, though. It will make me better, at the end of the day."
"I definitely think I am playing harder now than I was before I got benched. It's not something I can explain. I can't say, 'Man, I wish I was playing harder before.' I just maybe didn't realize it, and that's what Tommy is talking about with his perspective and putting me in that situation where I can see and work harder. It got more out of me and I hope I can continue to improve and help the team and get it all done."
Boswell, on Soehn: "He motivates with hard love. 'Accountable' is a good word for him. If you make plays and get the job done -- not just on the field, you have to do it in practice too -- he's still going to come down on you, but he wants the best out of you. ... He's trying to motivate and keep guy happy; it's tough, especially now. It's a problem you want to have as a team and as a coach -- guys that are hungry and guys who are capable and maybe should be playing but the team does well. ... Our job is to make it tough on him to pick that starting lineup."
By Steve Goff |
September 4, 2007; 2:10 PM ET
D.C. United
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Posted by: Nick | September 4, 2007 2:42 PM
Goff - great quotes.
What I really like, though, is Boz's attitude, summed up with "It's fun, though." I am probably oversimplifying, but I respect that he misses a few games but still has the attitude that he enjoys what he is doing.
Posted by: Lost in BA | September 4, 2007 2:46 PM
I love this team.
Posted by: jgildea8 | September 4, 2007 2:58 PM
...Jaime was called up for the September 12 friendly against Peru in Lima, which could significantly affect our supporters' shield chances...
If indeed that game is a friendly, can't DCU tell the Bolitas to go pound sand?
Posted by: Soy United! | September 4, 2007 3:06 PM
I found Soehn's thoughts on Vanney interesting. I think he sees something in the veteran that many of us don't. Is Vanney's second-man coverage good, and is it a good example for the younger guys? Is he giving Simms verbal cues on tightening up the midfield so the flat-back four works more smoothly? I don't find Vanney to be a particularly strong devender 1 v 1, so perhaps Soehn sees the "little things" that he finds important. Fact is, I just dunno, but I'm going to give Vanney a closer look from now on.
Posted by: Joe Doc | September 4, 2007 3:11 PM
Soy, if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that Jaime has earned enough goodwill with United over the past 12 years that if he asks to be released, he will be. I know RSL is resurgent (well, maybe "surgent," I don't think they've ever actually surged before), and I know they beat United in Salt Lake, but if DC can't beat RSL at RFK without Jaime, the Supporters' Shield probably isn't in the cards anyway.
Posted by: EdTheRed | September 4, 2007 3:30 PM
jgildea8 wrote: "I love this team."
Me too!
I love that a 14-goal scorer was seriously pissed to be taken out of a 4-0 game.
I love that an MLS Defender of the Year can say "It got more out of me and I hope I can continue to improve and help the team and get it all done" after being benched.
I love that United has a converted defender, Marc Burch (sp?), driving 30-40 yard bombs into the box that are wreaking havok on opposing defenses. I wonder where he got the comfidence to do this?
I can't wait to see what happens later this week.
Posted by: DCUinWheaton | September 4, 2007 3:33 PM
Facundo who?
Posted by: Bart | September 4, 2007 3:37 PM
Of course Emilio was pissed. FCD was letting in goals like it was going out of style. I mean Ben Olson scored 2 goals!!! I bet Emilio thought he could have at least gotten 2 goals before the night was over. Still he's stuck on 14.
Posted by: Bart | September 4, 2007 3:38 PM
fyi - Fred's up for Goal of the Week
Posted by: emanon | September 4, 2007 4:03 PM
Who needs hard news. This stuff is great.
Goff, have you had any thoughts of doing video blogs, say of you doing interviews?
Posted by: Ron | September 4, 2007 4:12 PM
Wait a minute...the Fred goal is up for GOW and not Olsen's laser from 35 yards out?!
Posted by: DE | September 4, 2007 4:15 PM
Just got a message that Ben Olsen was named Player of the Week for his 2 goal performance. Congrats to Benny.
Next up should be Mark Burch for his 3 assist effort....or rather direct contribution to 3 goals. His play has gone from good to darned good over the last couple of months. And no, I don't want MLS to go to NHL style scoring where any inadvertent touch nets an assist.
Posted by: marksman | September 4, 2007 4:17 PM
"Wait a minute...the Fred goal is up for
GOW and not Olsen's laser from 35 yards out?!"
Yeah, and from KC-RSL game, they nominated Espindola's goal (pretty pedestrian though his backflip was nice) and ignored Andy Williams 50 yard+ score. Odd selections.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 4, 2007 4:22 PM
Anybody else seen this yet?
http://www.mlsgear.com/product_detail.asp?Check=True&CAT=cat-mens-tshirts&SKU=1010916
Posted by: Gburg | September 4, 2007 4:24 PM
So, is DC United now living up to its pre-season hype?
Posted by: ho | September 4, 2007 4:25 PM
Is that a link to the Jaime Moreno shirt? It's great.
Posted by: DE | September 4, 2007 4:26 PM
What about Gomez's blast? That was definitely goal of the week material.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 4, 2007 4:26 PM
thanks for clearing up that emilio's not injured, just hungry.
can you ask him about his quote in a Honduran newspaper that someone translated on bigsoccer? He was quoted as saying he has possibilities of playing in Europe in December.
Posted by: pat | September 4, 2007 4:48 PM
I think Fred scored that goal largely because he changed out of the garish yellow cleats at half time. I'm not so much a fan of those.
Maybe I'm a little bit old school, but it would be nice to see shoes that match the uniform. If a DCU player wants to stand out, all white or red cleats should do the trick. No need to rock the garish yellow to help nike sell more shoes. They're already making enough money.
Posted by: tmc | September 4, 2007 4:50 PM
I second the below comment from DCUinWheaton. Our team has a winning attitude, and against teams as talented and evenly matched as MLS has become, this makes all the difference.
-----------
I love that a 14-goal scorer was seriously pissed to be taken out of a 4-0 game.
I love that an MLS Defender of the Year can say "It got more out of me and I hope I can continue to improve and help the team and get it all done" after being benched.
I love that United has a converted defender, Marc Burch (sp?), driving 30-40 yard bombs into the box that are wreaking havok on opposing defenses. I wonder where he got the comfidence to do this?
I can't wait to see what happens later this week.
Posted by: DCUinWheaton | September 4, 2007 03:33 PM
Posted by: David | September 4, 2007 4:50 PM
that jaime moreno shirt is cool. does mls or dc united make any clothing for women / girls? girls jerseys? if not, they should.
Posted by: bkgriff | September 4, 2007 4:51 PM
If you are interested in women's apparel check out the DC Merchandise thread on BS:
Posted by: Gburg | September 4, 2007 4:52 PM
Also use that thread to get any United apparel you might desire. MLSgear.com is horrible. Period.
Posted by: AlecW81 | September 4, 2007 6:14 PM
"...Jaime was called up for the September 12 friendly against Peru in Lima, which could significantly affect our supporters' shield chances...
If indeed that game is a friendly, can't DCU tell the Bolitas to go pound sand?"
Because on an Int'l date release is mandatory and the club has to pound the sand.
Only Bob Bradley gives club concerns any weight when the FIFA rules says he does not have to.....
Posted by: Lloyd Heilbrunn | September 5, 2007 12:09 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Goff,
Great stuff. In addition, though, you forgot to mention that Jaime was called up for the September 12 friendly against Peru in Lima, which could significantly affect our supporters' shield chances...