Nothing constructive to say - Lets Go United! Mess those pretty boys up!

Why is the field in such bad shape? They have a tractor pull there last week or something?

Any word on expected attendance?

I am so happy that my non-cable-having butt can actually watch in clarity on tv.

Goff: What is the projected kickoff time? With the expanded TV slot, it could be anytime between about 12:10 p.m. and 12:30 p.m.

normally i'd like to see some more progress from the United back line today, but since the game's on TV all across 'Merica, i'm hoping for United to win 9-7.

So, we think the United match may not start until 12:15 or 12:30???? Is kick-off for Spain Germany expected right at 2:45? Jeez, they make it difficult to plan a viewing itinerary.....

I think Olsen is just trying to get Beckham's jersey again.
Vamos United!
I hope Ben is careful. Please don't hurry back too soon and set yourself back further than you've been. I am reminded of Becks playing himself lame last year coming back to appease the fans.
Will Disney allow United to wear their white jerseys?
Thanks for the traffic update Goff. I am not coming down there but you are the man on spot! I am sure the collective SI Nation thanks you!

vamos united!

screw the euros, olsen will be back!!!!

although, the last time that happened, we had our butts handed to us by the revolution, although that year, we also had milton reyes, earnie stewart, hristo stoichkov, elecko eskandarian, nick rimando, and eliseo quintanilla, among others

Go DC United!!!

COME ON UNITED!!!!!!!

Maybe Chicago will sell consumer electronics at Toyota Park.

VAMOS UNITED! OLSEN!

And RSL can cure (and/or cause) cancer on the sidelines with their magic Xango juice!

Olsen is back?!! Wow that's great news. Now let's go out and kick some English arses :)

That didn't hit Gonzo's chest...

ouch! Martinez takes on in the groin. ouch ouch ouch

And Jaime scores the first one!

Excellent!

JAIMEGOL! Jazic is an idiot...

Goff just posted that Ruiz may be on his way out of LA - I think that's a good move for both parties involved.

Gotta love the "Shouldn't you be in Austria?" banner in front of the BB

How many times this season has Tino created a goal for which he didn't get credit in the stats sheet (PKs won, shots that rebounded to the goal-scorer)?

Ugly defense...

Come on now, boys

1-1, Buddle tap-in

DC just sucks defensively. Period.

Is Tino ok?

He's out with a pulled hamstring - this guy needs to catch a break!

Is DC United tired already?

Beautiful service from Burch!!

GOTW?

If only Burch was as good with his right as he is with his left, he'll be the complete player.

i think ralston or ekpo will get it this week, but it was still a good one

OMG, excessive vulgarity from Landycakes!!!

I guess we're on an 8 second delay - good ol' Landycakes...

"that blow on the face only inspires Donovan to play harder..." really? How far up his arse do you wanna crawl?

Landon running around with the cotton in his nose is a priceless image

Good first half. Great start but I thought DC slowed down just before that second goal. Bad break with Santino.

Oh best sights of the half: seeing Beckham having to go all the way back to pick up the ball.

This game is so helter skelter.

Peralta's slow footed. He whiffed on their goal . . . the pass to Buddle.

Galaxy starting to look like they've played a full 90 already.

Let's hope DC can finish off and then play keep away to the sounds of Da le da le da le da le Oh oh oh . .

Lordy, we missed 3 golden chances like that Gallardo, Fred, Gallardo.

This game should be over, instead we lie at 2-1.

Gallardo redems himself

Awesome!! Keep it up DC!!!

What's the over/under in days before GoldenBalls and Landycakes walk into Lalas' office kick him in the coin purse and demand 2 central defenders? I give it 4.5 days.

Anyone else think we overpaid gallerdo by 1.4 million?

Fred is hungry. Deserves one at this point, too.

It's official, Tommy Soehn can smile. It was even on HDTV.

@wags - No. Apparently you are the only one. Who do you think DCU should have gotten instead of Gallardo?

The Gals embarrassed themselves with that effort. They gave up in front of everyone.

@Ron -

I would of rather kept Gomez, but Gallardo was a good signing. I'm saying so far Gallardo has not been worth 1.9 million. We could of paid him less and put some money aside for a new stadium.

Why does Soehn continue to use Dyachenko?

I feel like he's a red-card waiting to happen. Seriously, glancing over the stats shows 25 fouls committed and 3 yellows in ~500 minutes. That's 5th in the league for fouls committed despite playing roughly half the minutes of most starters, and more yellows per minute than anyone else on the team.

Not that I'm complaining, lovely result. :)

At least Wells wasnt really at fault for that goal they gave up. The slapstick defender routine was.

Put money aside for a stadium? Come on dude is only being paid $1.9 million. If you can build a stadium for $1.9 million...

Boy, were the LA stars (Becks, Landy et al) anonymous in the second half or what?

If/when Dyachenko washes out of the league, he can't say DC never gave him a chance. They've been giving him as many chances as you can give any young player. Today, he wasn't so bad but he better grab one of these chances he's getting.

About his fouls, I don't see anything wrong with them. So long as he knows when and where to commit the fouls.

Apart from a few great passes, Beckham didn't show up for this game. I thought Donovan played as well as any LA player. Sure he disappeared sometimes but so did everyone in white.

Dyachenko had a nice little stepover to beat two, and a shot that barely whizzed over. Decent showing from him, and fantastic game. I'm very glad the players (well, DC's, at any rate) showed minimal fatigue due to the heat.

Why, why, why do people continue to make the "wish we'd kept Gomez over Gallardo" comment? Gomez was gone before we ever looked at Gallardo. The team bent over backwards to keep him. It extended deadlines, raised the amount offered, raised the number of years. It appears that the issues for Gomez were:
--he became bitter than he wasn't the MVP
--he wanted 3 years guaranteed.
If we'd kept Gomez (and used the DP slot on him) than we'd have had to have sold Emilio in the offseason (because we couldn't have raised his money to DP levels). It was NEVER about "Gomez or Gallardo."

Gallardo is having a great season. He probably won't score as many as Gomez often gets (but than Gomez plays upfront and has always been a great finisher--much like DeRosario). But when you keep in mind that Emilio has been out of form for half the season, Moreno isn't a real finisher and Quaranta has been playing at outside mid, Gallardo's number of goals and assists is impressive. Ultimately though, are play this season hasn't been a function of Gallardo but of Emilio and Wells. When Wells is shaky than it reverberates through the defense and posssibly the team. When Emilio is on we score goals in bunches and when he isn't we struggle to score. And those two realities exist regardless of the play or hustle of the rest of the team.

This was a very encouraging win to me. Donovan typically toasts us at RFK. Beckham is the kind of guy who benefits from a bigger field. And a hot day means less running (so guys with vision and precision passing--like Beckham and Donovan--typically have more impact). Instead we not only had the better of the play but their offense wasn't nearly as successful as anyone would have expected going into this game. I don't think this means that United is all the way back but this was an impressive result against a team playing well with talented guys.

Happy Birthday, Pickle! We Love You!

I hope that Pickle kid gets his butt beaten at summer school on Monday.

@wags:

Keeping Gomez was not possible. DCU offered Gomez more than he was worth as it was. But Gomez went to Colorado who offered yet even more than Gomez was worth over the length of the contract. Also Gallardo would not have come for $500k.

So your alternatives to Gallardo are just smoke and mirrors. I would rather have Gallardo than smoke and mirrors.

Ben looked like he was stepping gingerly when he was on the field -- even when he the play was away from him. Did anyone else notice him having trouble pitting weight on his foot? Please tell me it's just my imagination......

Please.

I never thought I'd say this... but Zach Wells = MotM.

And Benny! man. That was storybook.

Curious: I thought so too but could be our imagination. I was afraid he was suiting and playing in this big venue to be his last game, but Harkes's commentary suggested he talked with Ben and saw he was improving and Goff's comment about his increased intensity in workouts is keeping that paranoia at bay.

Happy Birthday Pickle!

I though Martinez was MOTM as usual. The guy was on the attack and still managed to get back on defense.

If I had to pick a DP player just based on performance it would have been Martinez and Emilio. Guillardo looks like a crappy version of Gomez. His passes sucked, his positioning was pretty bad, and he never went back for defense.

If we still had Gomez we would be the best team in MLS.

Thank you Moreno for another great performance!

Nats vs. B'More = 39,824
DC vs. LA = 35,979

Both teams have the one of the best attendance days on the same day at the same time.

Worst case scenario - getting hit in the nads by a Beckham kick from short range.

Almost worst case scenario - Having the trainers and Becks snicker at you while you hose your crotch off with a water bottle close-up on network television.

Classic.

Good result (with some glaring individual needs for improvement) against a very talented squad. Wells had the best match I've seen him play.

Hope DCU isn't peaking too soon.....

Jap: this was my fear as well. With the deadline a day away...I think benny retires tomorrow. which sucks, I hope he is a well paid assistant coach Tuesday morning.

Anyone notice how Martinez was basically man marking Beckham?. Clever by Soehn.

Jap: this was my fear as well. With the deadline a day away...I think benny retires tomorrow. which sucks, I hope he is a well paid assistant coach Tuesday morning.

Wells' little volleyball push really served him well today.

As far as Gallardo goes, he just needs to find his form the way Emilio has found his, and now would be a good time. This team still has some gelling to do.

Good quotes on Behind the Badge.
some comments do make me wonder if Ben could retire or something strange tomorrow.
His comments on BTB create even more wonder...
Great to see him and way to honor him Barras.

Gallardo goal and assist. What more do wou want against the best team in the west? Seriously people. He gets better with every game. I'll reserve my full judgment until the end of the season.

Here's hoping tino is only hurt for a little while. Kid has been playing his heart out and definitely earned the PK for us that set the tempo.

Steinberg's got a good piece up on The Bog about Benny and the Barras tribute.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2008/06/ben_olsen_heart_of_a_lion.html

AMAZING ignorance from you DC fans after what 15 games Gallardo has as much assist as he has goals, what is it 4 G and 3 A. Not bad numbers for Marcelo. Everyone here screams about Gomez not realizing GOMEZ is injuried and done squat for a Crappy Rapids side. Gomez wanted more money and more years and DC said no. Plain and simple. It was never Gallardo vs Gomez, remember it was Veron vs Gomez and payne when for Veron. And when Veron said no he took Gallardo. NOT A BAD second choice at all. Gallardo is scoring as many goals as Gomez is. As DC is finding its footing so is Gallardo. And he has been by far one of the better DPs this season.

does anyone know if they are going to replay the game? It's hard to catch everything when you are at the game.

JAP: I hear you -- here's hoping that this wasn't Benny's last game.

I can't remember a time when I saw a team give up as bad as la did today.