Forget SuperLiga the regular season is more important and now the goal should be focused on winning the Open Cup and getting into the playoffs on a roll instead of slupming into it like last 2 years. If all DCU had to do was heat Houston then sure play all the available starters but 3 goals is a stretch.

If Soehn goes all out, which by resting Moreno, he's clearly not going to do, then he's a fool.

Why put more stress on a tired team just so that they can play in another game? Write off SuperLiga as a failure and turn your attention to the season, Open Cup, and Champions League.

This is a perfect time to give the reserves a big game to see how they respond. If they pull it out, great, if not... then the starters have rested and the reserves got in some minutes.

agree with glove. put in the reserves and give them a chance to fight for a win. who knows - maybe there will be some surprises. if needed, put some starters in late.

Please Soehn, do not start the regulars. We have no shot of winning this match 3-0 with the tired starters that we have. Just play all the reserves, and see how they do. If we're down 5-0 at halftime, maybe bring Emilio in. But at least save the starters for the more important Houston match on Tuesday.

The problem I see is that even going with a lineup made mostly of reserves, Tommy still is going to have to play some starters. It's just a numbers game. There's simply too many guys who are hurt or tired. Kinda of sucks that I paid good money and will drive 4 hours round trip to see a reserve side. But I'll be there along with the wife and kids because we're United fans. Next time you fair weather fans who live in DC complain about the possibility of United playing in Green Belt, think about that.

possibility of United playing in Green Belt, think about that.

Posted by: | July 18, 2008 12:07 PM

__________________________________________

Hey, you talking to me?

Tomorrow...

Zach Wells
Marc Burch
Devon McTavish
Gonzalo Martinez
Bryan Namoff
Clyde Simms
Craig Thompson
Quavas Kirk
Ryan Cordeiro
Francis Doe
Luciano Emilio

Tuesday...

Zach Wells
Marc Burch
Devon McTavish
Gonzalo Martinez
Bryan Namoff
Clyde Simms
Craig Thompson
Santino Quaranta
Fred
Francis Doe
Jaime Moreno

Give Emilio a break from starting but use him if need be in the 2nd half - in fact, they might want to do this tomorrow as well. Get ready to run your socks off and keep up the good work Francis Doe. No rest for a weary defense as mediocre midfielders and forwards look on :-/

I'd like to see Soehn and Talon in a dance-off at midfield before the game and at halftime. The winner gets to coach for a half.

start all the muppets.

start all the muppets.

Posted by: reserves | July 18, 2008 12:16 PM

Yes - literally. I'd rather see Dr. Bunsen Honeydew out there in place of Dyachenko.

players should tailgate with the barra before the game, carrying a cup of beer during the game, and then tossing back a few more after the game.

forget tomorrow, enjoy the heat.

The field temperature probably will approach 100 degrees. The last time Onstad shipped 3 more goals than the other time was at age 7 in the Pee-Wee league. Soehn should play the scrubinis to "entertain" the 11,000 or so who show up to drink beer.

Tuesday is a completely different story, that game counts.

However, given Soehn's blockheaded ability to tire out or subject key players to injury in meaningless games -- cue last year's final regular season game where DCU lost both Moreno and Emilio to what were effectively season ending injuries -- I assume he'll run out the regulars.

Wells
Namoff P.Carol Burch J.Carol
Thompson Murphy Simms Kirk
Rod
Doe

4-5-1. The key objective is to get out of the game without injury (mainly to Simms or Namoff). Tell the mids to play with a defensive focus. Rod plays withdrawn behind Doe. Doe has to put his running shoes on. Everybody plays 90 minutes.

Simple as pie.

If by some whim of cosmic fate the reserves manage to pull out the 3 goal victory, wonderful. But at no point should Soehn be even remotely tempted to sub in Moreno, Quaranta, Martinez or Emilio.

... or Fred.

Do Emilio's comments give a hint as to why he is officially an all-star, but not in the all-star game?

Why not

Thorpe

Thompson P. Carroll Zaher Burch

Kirk Murphy Barlow Cordeiro
D-rod
Doe

maybe switch Kirk and Thompson?

Bench: Wells, McTavish, Moreno, Emilio, Namoff, Martinez, Simms

McTavish needs a rest.... only player other than Wells to have played every minute of the last 7 games (including the 120 at the open cup) and has had to cover a lot of space for Burch

We do NOT need any fatigue related injuries

I hope Q1 is ready to come off the bench on Tuesday.

JSF, I thought they did that last match...

I say start the reserves. If they can get up by 2-0 then bring in the starters to close the it out and pray the other matches go your way. Otherwise, there's no point having the starters play heavy minutes in a lost cause.

play the reserve team in the meaningless game Saturday night. And then play the first team in the meaningful match on Tuesday. Three pints in the league is much more important at this point. And if the scrubs somehow pull off a miracle Saturday that is a good problem to have.

By 11,000 tickets distributed, do you mean sold or given away. If given away, then why do people buy season tickets? We could just go down and ask for a freebie.

An MLS Cup is more important to me than SuperLiga. Rest the starters and let's get ready for the home stretch.

Three pints in the league ...

Posted by: Glenn | July 18, 2008 12:47 PM
=============

You write with a brogue. You should be a color commentator (on Match Tracker)

For Saturday:

------------Thorpe------------
J.Carroll-Zaher-P.Carroll-Burch
Thompson-Barlow-Murphy-Cordeiro
-----Kirk----------------------
-------------Doe---------------

This game should be treated as nothing more than a reserve match. Emilio is nuts if he thinks he should play.

Three pints in the league ...

Posted by: Glenn | July 18, 2008 12:47 PM
=============

You write with a brogue. You should be a color commentator (on Match Tracker)

Posted by: I-270, Exit 1 | July 18, 2008 12:53 PM

@I-270, Exit 1: I'm not sure Glenn was speaking in brogue ... he's talking about his preference for libations.

Emilio is nuts if he thinks he should play.

Posted by: Nick | July 18, 2008 12:54 PM
===========

Although I agree that it's pretty pointless to think that we can beat Hoston by 3 goals, give our injuries, Emilio is paid a lot of money to play soccer. Sounds to me like he has the right attitude.

Barlow? Murphy? Did you just make those names up? :-)

Wah they're tired. I don't see the cyclists on Le Tour complaining.

Good point. I appreciate Emilio's attitude - I just hope that Soehn exercises more perspective and sees that it would be foolish for him to play both because of the risk of injury and the short turnaround before Tuesday.

players should tailgate with the barra before the game, carrying a cup of beer during the game, and then tossing back a few more after the game.

forget tomorrow, enjoy the heat.

Posted by: JSF | July 18, 2008 12:19 PM
---------------------------------------------

They should invite the referees to join them for the Lot 8 party.

@I-270, Exit 1: I'm not sure Glenn was speaking in brogue ... he's talking about his preference for libations.

Posted by: Matte | July 18, 2008 1:05 PM
==========

Let's compromise - three pints of Scotch.

In addition to McTavish playing all minutes in the last 7 games, i believe simms has played every minute of every game this season other than the open cup game against rochester, where he only played the 2nd half? thats tiring just thinking about it. Namoff too, except his one red-card game.

This is the most sensible set of posts that I've seen on this blog. Tomorrow is the reserve match (with 2 or 3 exceptions due to injuries). I feel sorry for those who already paid DCU's inflated Super Liga ticket prices for tomorrow's game, but the long-term success of this team is at stake. It's not a matter of trashing the Super Liga, it's just a matter of a near impossible task versus getting rested and back to decent health for MLS, USOC and the CCL.

BTW - Those of you who think the schedule this month has been a bear should fast forward a couple of months to several weeks of two games per week due to the CCL. Without depth, the MLS teams in the CCL may be at a decided disadvantage heading down the stretch toward the MLS playoffs.

yeah, the schedule for August and Sept is brutal.

I would guess that 11,000 tickets distributed means the number sent to season ticket plan holders since these matches are part of the full season plan. I doubt anyone paid for this game on its own. 13,000 for Tuesday is probably the season tickets plans plus maybe a couple of tickets sold for it in the first place.

BTW, I am embarrassed to sound like Tommy Smyth. If I start talking about "onion bags" bulging please shoot me.

Let Doe start tomorrow. Superliga is done for us. Mexico has our number! Keep all major starters out, until next MLS game.

Hey Lance you should know better than anyone that the reason no one is complaining in Le Tour is because they are all doping!...Well most of them.
Anyone see that guy hit that sign post this morning and snap his plastic bike in half? Yikes!
I hope DC takes it easy and lets their reserves put in some harsh challenges to soften up Houston for Tuesday night.
Will we just be able to bring our tickets to the gate on Tuesday and have them re-scanned?
Thanks

Three goal difference is a bit of a stretch. At this point, a regular season game is more important to me.

Wah they're tired. I don't see the cyclists on Le Tour complaining.
-------------------
Which makes them dopes...

Oh, wait...maybe that's why they don't complain.

"I would guess that 11,000 tickets distributed means the number sent to season ticket plan holders since these matches are part of the full season plan. I doubt anyone paid for this game on its own. 13,000 for Tuesday is probably the season tickets plans plus maybe a couple of tickets sold for it in the first place."

Attendance may be less than that by the number of tickets that ended up being lost/ruined in the big rainstorm when they first tried to play the Houston game.

One person said their ticket ended up looking like tissue paper.

ALWAYS PLAY TO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can United just call up the Kickers to play in their place Saturday so that EVERYONE is rested for Tuesday?

I am here to voice my suport to put all reserves tomorrow starting with goal keeper. On Tuesday, we must win, and of course for the Open Cup absolutely must win.

if your ticket was destroyed you should call your ticket rep. They can put one on your account so you can print a new one. According to yesterday's email from DCU
"Rain, Rain, Go Away!
Tuesday, July 22nd, at 7:30 PM will be the make-up game for the rained-out June 4th match vs. Houston. If you still have your tickets from this match they will be honored at the gate. If your ticket has been lost or damaged please call your Sales Rep or Customer Service."

houston is missing 2 of there starters also for a while

A WSJ opinion piece that is not very enthusiastic about stadium projects:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121625362443460331.html

I am calling for not only reserve players tomorrow, but reserve fans! I'll be back at RFK on Tuesday when, hopefully, the team will really be trying!

thats because your a reserve fan. i just goot so mad at your comment im not even going to say everything to you i was going to becauseyou just dont get it

RE: Posted by: tri-village | July 18, 2008 6:09 PM

"Councilman Brown [...] proudly pointed to the development that has started to transform the once-blighted neighborhood. The centerpiece is the new Department of Transportation headquarters, which brings 7,000 people into the neighborhood every workday."

This brand new stadium brought the DOT to the neighborhood? If anything, neighborhood development will be spurred by the 7,000 daily workers at DOT and not the "30,000 baseball fans [who] flock here 80 nights a year."

And about that 30,000 number.

After the last games debacle, tomorrow's game is pretty much a joke.

I have tickets and I'm not bothering to go. Actually most of the folks I know who would go are making other plans.

This team has some major problems and needs to recoup so it can have some sort of chance to make the playoffs and continue on in the US Open Cup.

My guess is this will be the lowest attended United game on a Saturday Night for years, and perhaps ever.