When it rains, it pours...

Is Emilio really the head case he appears to be? Goff, have you done an extensive interview with him in the past? I don't remember reading one (but I could have easily missed it). Is Emilio's attitude different now than in the past?

Mediate at starting central defender? What has happened to the team. I hope Peralta's if is okay and he can travel to LA. We need all to field a competitive team.

Its not looking good for the good guys. Can someone please tell Kevin Payne to sell Emilio, get our 2nd DP slot back, and use it on Ryan Nelsen, who would bring stability and leadership back to our backline. I still feel like his departure has the been the greatest detriment to the team. We never have been able to replace, and replicate the play in the backline. I also think that United also never compensated for the loss of Ernie Stewart on the wing. It has been clearly evident that theses 2 personnel loses have been looming for sometime with this team. I would hope that the front office finally addresses these 2 key positions at some point, before the ship finally sinks.

Hey, Kevin Payne, can you sign Carlos Puyol and Cristiano Ronaldo while you're at it? Ryan Nelson is not leaving Blackburn people

I am happy to know that Gallardo is fine but I sure hope he is fully fit and not rushed into coming back. Sounds like they do read the insider reports and comments because that approch is similar to comments posted here. Emilio has a quadriceps strain by standing around?

Got it.

OUCH. Whoever makes it to the field must fight for points.

Tommy Soehn stepping up to let Emilio know he means business. Didn't think he had it in him. Is it too late? Thoughts?

yup, i think it's too late. they are both out the door soon

What's Emilio supposed to do? He's like a one-armed man in a barfight, getting no service from a completely, incomprehensibly screwed up midfield & joke of a system.

No matter how good a forward is, if he's the only credible threat, he will get shut down. Especially if he's a poacher, as Emilio is.

As for management & coaching, let's not forget who bought which groceries and who's cooking up this whole mess.

Best wishes to Gonzalo and Mrs. Peralta. Bed-rest during pregnancy takes its toll physically and emotionally. Everything else is unimportant.

If Emilio is benched, Fred is injured, and Quaranta is playing right mid, who are the starting forwards? Moreno and... ?

The choices of Rod "touch of gold" Dyachenko or Franco "face in the turf" Niell don't exactly fill me with hope and joy. Maybe they should give Doe a start or kidnap Guy-Roland Kpene and force him to play (hitting the post a few times would be an improvement for DCU).

My long term so-crazy-it'll-never-work solution at forward: Gonzalo Peralta. Let Thor be a target forward.

C'mon Luci!
I loved him last year and I'm one of the last few remaining fans who are still giving him a chance. I'm going to miss him come June, regardless of his effectiveness in 2008.

Ronaldo might be available :)

Glad to see Fred resting, actually -- hamstring injuries are something that just need rest (and stretching), or it could become a chronic problem.

OK, this is all fine. Let's hope they get all this junk out of their system while it's still early days. By mid- to late- summer they'll be ready to get out there and start tearing up the rest of the league. That's how MLS Cup is won.

(Not that I think this is a good strategy, but it is one way to approach the MLS season.)

I think Doe will get the start over Niell up top.

Who will play on the left wing? (Stratford, Dyachenko, Niell?) I don't know of anyone that has the pace, can defend and provide service into the box from the left side, other than Fred or Burch.

We are unbelievably thin right now.

Soehn is feeling the pressure now from Payne. Emilio has struggled but in the Chicago game he was a victim of no service. With Gallardo back and a weak Chivas USA defense I feel that DC should be able have opportunities. Maybe coming off the bench will spark Emilio and he can make a difference in the second half. Also for some strange reason I believe in Niell and think that he can find the net but he has to find open space. Maybe spreading him out to the flank and moving Quaranta to the forward position wouldn't be a bad idea that way Niell could make runs without traffic. He looks like he goes hard every play and we can use that on the wing.

Pretty sure Emilio is gone this summer. Guy is turning into a headacase. I guess there's a reason he never sticks around at clubs more than 1-2 years.

Emilio has missed his fair share of sitters this year. The service has suffered lately, but his ability to hold the ball and connect passes has suffered just as much as his ability to score.

Wow. DP status one week and benched the next. Sounds too similar to another Brazilian who was in Dallas last season (Denilson). Ugh.

I hope things turn around, since I can't imagine, after getting the golden boot last year, that Emilio will be proven to be the weak link. As for changing up the lineup in general, though, I say go for it. We might have a shot against Chivas since they are also in the midst of a quagmire.

Dizzying is right wheehhw...
My thoughts are with Peralta and his family. Hopefully his wife's condition improves.
I can imagine his focus can't be on football at the moment.
I hope they can get their baby delivered healthy and happy. I am sure his performance on the field will improve if he gets some resolution on the homefront.
As for Emilio what the heck is his excuse?
I hate to say it but it seems his job security is more feeble than Soehn's.
Good news for Gallardo. Excited to see what this line up will end up as in LA.
I sure how the reserves have been working their butts off sounds like we'll need em.

I sure hope not how

Emilio is about the golden boot up his...

I don't think Emilio's job is seriously threatened quite yet. They did just give him that huge raise. He did run hot and cold last year too, he wasn't exactly tearing up the pitch the first five games of the season last year. I'll grant you that his fitness and effort levels seem to be a problem and he's been more of a non-factor than last year. But DCU doesn't really have many other credible scoring threats, Gomez is gone and Gallardo doesn't seem to shoot as often as he did, Moreno still has a lot to give to the team, but he doesn't shoot, Niell and Dyachenko are lackluster, that leaves who? Tino and a couple of shots from McTavish, Burch, Fred and occasionally Simms and most of those from distance? I'd guess Emilio isn't going to be the irreplaceable player he was last year; he'll see more of the bench, but United really doesn't have anyone to replace him. My guess is he'll get somewhat better and stay on the roster (yeah, if continues to not score at all the entire season he'll be gone).

Def can see Doe up top with Moreno.

Moreno and Doe as a forward combination makes sense to me. Doe seemed pretty effective receiving the ball and attacking (physically) defenders when he got the ball. No, he didn't get a lot of minutes, but I'm curious to see how he does under the pressure of a starting role.

------------Doe---Moreno-----------

-------------Gallardo--------------

Kirk-----------------------Quaranta

--------------Simms----------------

Burch---Martinez---Mediate---Namoff

----------Wells/Carvallo-----------

Subs:

Stratford - likely for Mediate at half or the 55th and a swing to a more offensive alignment if we are down.

Niell or Emilio - really should only be for injury or pace issues. Otherwise, I'd rather let a pair go a full 90

The other keeper - stays on the bench.

Dyachenko - only in emergency or minutes management in a win. I would rather not see him mess up touches or distribution.

Zaher

Coredeiro - Let him have a run-out if one of the wingers gets gassed at all.

Doh! or is it Doe!

Sorry - I claim the lineup and subs suggestion.

How quickly could we get Bobby Convey back over here? He would make an excellent addition to our crew of walking wounded.

I think having Emilio off is a blessing in disguise. I foresee a win, or a tie at least.

El consejero del diablo

With these options, I'd prefer if we played organized for once this season. Play tight defensively first.

Our lack of counterattack, outside mid and striker speed are woefully apparent.

If Doe has wheels, let him play alone up top and play a 4-5-1.

All I want out of this game is a point.

Skippy,

I think Emilio will be out of here sooner than you think.

Word is that we are currently looking at DP strikers to fill his slot. Part of the reason why we traded Gomez was for that 2nd DP slot.

FO made one thing clear with that deal...
If they are willing to upgrade from Gomez to what they consider a DP signing, then you better believe Emilio does not constitute a DP in their eyes.

Emilio's DP status has a method to its madness (or so I've been told) that doesn't make sense to us right now. Time will tell.

The only good news is that DCU is playing Chivas.

Hey, if Convey would be an option, why not John O'Brien in the midfield? I hear he's out west, he might just take a break from beach soccer to put on a jersey against his former team, and ride the pine for old time's sake.

Great report, Steve. Thanks.

Mediate in central defense???!!!??? So much for backline depth. That's a really, really steep drop-off, IMO. Don't forget, Mediate was released because the team said he couldn't play up to MLS standards after recovering from the broken leg. I like him, but is there no one else to work the center of our (currently) iffy back line?

Steve:

Do you know what was the traveling roster for this weekends match?

This is where you see the bare bones nature of everything on the bench for MLS. Because the cap won't allow you to stock your bench with capable professionals, some of the guys on developmental contracts are aspiring MLS talent and the rest are bodies.

Sounds like the bartenders at Kilroy's will get a work out Saturday night.

Whoever posted this:

------------Doe---Moreno-----------

-------------Gallardo--------------

Kirk-----------------------Quaranta

--------------Simms----------------

Burch---Martinez---Mediate---Namoff

----------Wells/Carvallo-----------

I like it. Wells can give instructions in English, Carvallo in Spanish. And with two goalkeepers, a shutout is a real possibility.

Then we'll just need Doe to buck the goal-scoring drought we've had. That's assuming, of course, that his eyes don't glaze over from the bright lights.

Oh deer, that was bad.

Joe Doc, don't you have any work to do? Where do you get this stuff? LOL

I'd give Cordeiro a shot at left-midfielder given that is his natural position.

Chivas is really really really bad right now. Their defense has been decimated, their forwards have been ineffectual, tons of injuries. Even Panchito Mendoza has been quiet. This should be the game where Luci scores three. Oh, well.

P A T R I C K B E R G E R

is available.

we are kicking ass on Saturday thats all i know!!

United fury,

What can you tell me about Cordeiro? I haven't seen him yet.

Well, I have not seen much but he seems like a hard worker and a decent crosser from what i have seen in a couple reserve games.

"Marc Burch said he expects to return to his left back position in a 4-4-2 and Quaranta said he expects to start on the right side of midfield in a 4-4-2 with Bryan Namoff providing support behind him at right back."

Finally, the 4-4-2! Going back to basics! It's what this team needs! But Mediate at CB is scary...

"Marc Burch said he expects to return to his left back position in a 4-4-2 and Quaranta said he expects to start on the right side of midfield in a 4-4-2 with Bryan Namoff providing support behind him at right back."

Finally, the 4-4-2! Going back to basics! it'ws what this team needs! But Mediate at CB is scary...

Joe Doc, don't you have any work to do? Where do you get this stuff? LOL

Posted by: Matte | May 15, 2008 2:44 PM

Many a doctor have tried -- and failed -- to answer the second question.

United Fury, that's cool that you're checking out the reserve games. Any other insight?

I'm glad to hear that we are switching back to four in the back. I'd go with the 4-5-1 and hope for a penalty kick. That's the state we are in right now.

It's about time. I say bench Emilio if he can't get it done. He has looked dreadful. Absolutely dreadful. Now that he is earning more ca$h--DP money, no less--he needs to get it together. He hasn't been "streaky" this year. He has been almost subpar for our reserve side. He wanted more ca$h. Now he needs to earn it. He's not cutting it.

Show the "tough love". Get him a sports' psychiatrist. Whatever it takes. If he doesn't improve by the end of next month or beginning of July then I think that we will have to move him during the transfer window.

I would be interested to know who they were looking at for a DP striker. I mean, young strikers may not want to play in the U.S. or may want too much money. Older strikers and we could end with another Moreno. Don't get me wrong, Moreno isn't the problem, but he's not a top goal scorer any longer. I'm not saying that it cannot be done and one cannot be found, but its not as easy as finding a past-his-prime midfielder who can still direct and channel the attack.
But it is good to know that they are looking - I'm just surprised, one game after giving Emilio DP money.

Based on the limited minutes I saw him play against Chicago, I'd definitely be up for seeing Doe get the start. He looked like he knew what he was doing and had a little fire in the belly.

I'm not sure if the various Convey suggestions are tongue in cheek or not, but if he is more or less able to play, can someone way more clued in than me comment on the likelihood of DC being able to get him on loan for the remainder of the MLS season? From what little I followed Reading this year, he didn't see much playing time, even in the reserve. Not sure if that speaks to his health or his falling out of favor.

I know we are supposed to be relieved that DC is going back to the standard 4-4-2, but don't forget that in this formation Gallardo was prone to drop way back to collect the ball, and then found himself too far away to connect with the forwards. The best match he has played for us came when we subbed in Dyachenko (yes! Dyachenko!)to sit in midfield behind Gallardo so he could set up higher in the midfield. It was a 3-5-2 and it worked.

"Gomez is gone and Gallardo doesn't seem to shoot as often as he did,"

understatement of day

Convey, sure, let's get another gnome by all means.

Convey? I thought he got a job waving in airplanes at Dulles.

"Marc Burch said he expects to return to his left back position in a 4-4-2 "

Woohoo! That sound you just heard was champaigne corks flying all across DCU Bloggerville.

Domenic Mediate has been the leader in central defense for the reserve squad, so it shouldn't be as scary as some of you think. This will be a big change, but I think adding a fourth defender will outweigh the substitution of Mediate for Peralta.

Convey, sure, let's get another gnome by all means.

Posted by: gringo | May 15, 2008 4:15 PM
=========================================

So being 5'9" tall makes you a gnome?

Emilio's problem = BBBS

Billy Big Boots Syndrome

Mediate should do all right with four in the back he got screwed with the bright idea they had IN Utah.
Saw KP on WP live. same crap we already read about here of course. Nice to see them try to heap some of the blame in his lap too though considering he is the president right?

Emilio has blown about 10x more chances than he has goals this year.

It's getting depressing.

Errr....what's with the Convey hate? Like I said, I have no idea of his current form, but the previous year he was playing some pretty good soccer. He theoretically has loyalty to DC and if he's got something to prove, could bring some of that much needed intensity to the team.

Are we getting Puyol -- I saw something earlier in this thread...?

Put Emilio in at CB. He's got some size, and his lack of speed won't hurt too much there.

Emilio experienced several easy goals last season. He really does not go to the ball aggressively...if the opportunity is clear he is good. But he can not, and never will create.. United will transfer Emilio later this season. Using the second DP slot on Emilio was a waste.
As for the front office....better luck next year assembling a quality team. You missed the boat for this season.