Match 2.20 The Result: DCU v. RBNY 8-22-07 The Atlantic Cup Leg 3 (of 3)

DCU 3 RBNY 1


Felicitaciones Abuelito Moreno! Numero 109! A PK, but 109 nonetheless.


The crowd was louder than I have ever heard and there were A LOT of people there for a Wednesday night game (it is hard to be objective sitting in 234 row 5, right behind the Barra).

We came out and dominated and finished in the first 20 minutes. The RBNY PK took a little wind out of our sails but we continued eating up possession and controlling the game. I have not yet watched the game in an appropriate manner to analyze it, but here are a few observations:

-Simms is always around on defense. He is cleaning up the ball in all sorts of situations. Not much help in the attacking third, but I'll give that up for a defensive mid that plays defense.

-Burch didn't have the best game but his service is still beautiful. He also had some acrobatic plays on defense.

-We need the scrappy, hustling Ben Olsen in all games, not just against NY. Even in this game he kind of petered out in the second half. If he can't always go in the hyperactive mode, maybe Moose can be that guy. We will really need someone in the next few years that can take on that role.

-Dane Richards was dirty last night.

Facts and Reality for Match 2.20


1. Another great performance from Benny, an assist and a goal, he loves to show up to beat RBNY.
2. Los Cuatro (Moreno, Fred, Gomez, and Emilio) are even passing together during warm ups, this is a very good sign. Oh and they dominated the first 20 minutes of the game. Keep it coming
3. The Atlantic Cup is ours again.
4. Burch got an amazing ball from Gomez but couldn't put it away, if this keeps up, Burch will be on the score sheet eventually.

Match 2.20 The Setup: DCU v. RBNY 8-22-07 The Atlantic Cup Leg 3 (of 3)

This is the third and final fixture in the Atlantic Cup with DC and NY splitting the previous two meetings. Both teams won at home but DC leads the aggregate 4-3. With a tie or a win DCU takes the Cup again. I'm finally starting to develop the requisite DC Supporter hatred for NY. I think it has something to do with them being so close to us in the Eastern Conference table. It makes them an enemy. Usually I dislike individual players on a team, but this is something special. I think because of the table proximity, just the name New York Red Bulls has stuck in my head as something I don't like.

It's been more than a month since the Edgell Supporters last visited RFK to watch FC Dallas come back on our 3-nil lead. We will be in attendance tonight, albeit in smaller numbers (just El Goleador and I). A Wednesday night game will probably need as many loud voices as possible, so we're coming to help.

DC will be missing Gros who is out with another concussion and he may not be back. Cautions have not yet bitten us but we have a bunch of guys one or two cautions away from suspension. I expect over the next few weeks we will see some guys getting MLS mandated games off. Not that I care, but the entity known as RBNY is missing some injured guys. None of them are named JP or Jozy though so we'll be facing the full strength RBNY side.

I'm glad that Soehn has seen that Vanney and Boswell are the ones that should be fighting for starting spots and that the other three are earning their place each week. Does Boswell get the start so he and Jozy can go at it again? I hope so. I'm a fan of individual rivals like the Burch/Schelotto match last week. Assuming that Simms gets the start again (which is the wise decision), the only other lineup change will be Olsen instead of Gros, bone spurs for a concussion. Seems like an alright trade. I think we will miss Gros's work rate tonight but Benny's rancor towards RBNY should make up for it.

Come on ya Black and Red!

Hopes and Dreams for Match 2.20
1. Benny repeat performance. The hat trick might be a bit much, I'll take a brace.
2. Los Cuatro (Moreno, Fred, Gomez, and Emilio) build upon their teamwork from the Columbus match.
3. The Atlantic Cup
4. Burch from distance.

Match 2.16 The Result: DCU v. RBNY 7-21-07 The Atlantic Cup Leg 2 (of 3)

DCU 0 RBNY 1

This one was no fun at all. I think it was about the 25th or 30th minute when I said to my wife, "This is how it is going to end, 1-nil." We didn't get to the loose balls first. We showed no real danger and even when we had chances we could not finish (Gomez and Addlery being the most significant non-finishers). I think the turf is particularly hard for Fred who couldn't keep the ball at his feet.

The defense wasn't terribly bad but the miscommunication on the goal is happening a lot more with Vanney than it was with Erpen, just sayin'. The highlight at the back was that Burch was a reliable option, one match isn't enough to judge him on but it is certainly a good place to start. It is time to looking for a new option at holding mid, Carroll and Simms both just don't have what it takes. Just about everything we sent up from the back was to a New York player.

At this point in the season we have been consistently average and I don't expect us to snap out of it down the stretch. When we have our best 11 on the field I think we are above average (just right above average nothing to get excited about) but we can't count on having everyone in all the time. Somehow we have to get better play from the bench because the crowded schedule will not allow our first 11 to go all 90 in every match.

Facts and Reality for Match 2.16

1. Addlery... ugghh.
2. Three points was definitely a dream.
3. Perkins and his back line still don't have things figured out, another soft header went in.
4. Erpen scored!!!! Not from distance but a header to tie the game against KC.

Match 2.16 The Setup: DCU v. RBNY 7-21-07 The Atlantic Cup Leg 2 (of 3)

This is the start of the grind we have been looking forward to all season. MLS regular season, Superliga, and Copa Sudamericana all come together over the next 2 months (no Open Cup appearances as we bowed out of that one already). We are starting the grind off by taking on Red Bull New York tomorrow in New Jersey at Giants Stadium.

RBNY will be missing JP Angel for his red card last week but Jozy Altidore will be back from his U20 World Cup duty and looking to help his struggling team. DCU will be missing Benny Olsen to yellow card accumulation and Moreno, Moose, Kpene, and Namoff to injury. DC's depth will be tested this week.

New York comes in with only 2 wins in their last 8 games while DC has won 4 of their last 8 even though their form has been suffering. After the breakdown against Dallas I am worried that we have lost a little bit of our edge. Moreno definitely sparked the offense and he is out. Olsen is the heart of the team and he is out. With Moreno and Kpene out we will probably see Addlery or Dyachenko up top with Emilio. Olsen's replacement could cause more problems because Moose is out as well, so we might see DeRoux on the flank or Burch at the back and Gros back up on the wing.

New York will be looking to avenge the 4-2 Benny Olsen hat trick loss in June so this won't be an easy one. We will have to see something from the reserves if we want to steal the three points on the road.

Hopes and Dreams for Match 2.16

1. The backup strikers put something in the net.
2. All three points. I might actually be dreaming on this one.
3. Perkins can trust his back line enough to not come out so much.
4. Erpen scores from distance against KC.

Match 2.9 The Result: DCU v Red Bull New York 6-10-07 or the Atlantic Cup Leg 1

DCU 4 RBNY 2

My MFLS sacrifices have paid off (let it be known that I got rid of JP Angel and acquired Ben Olsen last Wednesday) and the soccer gods have answered my prayers. The previously impotent DC United offense made the New York defense conceive their babies today, which by my count makes Ben Olsen the proud father of triplets. Congratulations!!! My concerns about the strength of the New York defense were unfounded (must just be Chicago's low sperm count). DC United came out in form, playing strong on the wings and taking the danger out of the RBNY attack.

The most notable statistic of the game is that every one of the four goals were double assisted. That's teamwork. That's an organized attack. Except for the after goal breakdowns the defense looked strong even after losing Boswell to the double yellow. We beat the best team in the MLS and we made it look easy.

Facts and Reality for Match 2.9

1. Count em' up! That's 1, 2, 3 points
2. It wasn't necessarily stupid mistakes that gave up the goals, it was more the after goal mental lapses. Who can blame the entire team from going into paralysis after Ben Olsen scores a freaking hat trick?!
3. Luci got his much needed goal and looked dangerous on several occasions, beware future opponents.
4. Erpen did not score from distance, but he definitely played a major role in keeping JP Angel in check.

Dear Facu,

Great job out there today. Keep at it and the 30 yard bomb will come. You are still our favorite.

Love,

The Edgell Supporters

P.S. MLSnet credits you with a double/second assist or whatever you call that statistic. Way to go!

Match 2.9 The Setup: DCU v Red Bull New York 6-10-07 or the Atlantic Cup Leg 1

I'm having difficulty forming my thoughts on the match this week. I really, really, really, really want to win. I feel a little sick inside though. JP Angel will punish us for our fondness of letting the ball bounce around in the box. Something else that keeps nagging at me is their defense. I believe they were two starters down against Chicago two weeks ago and still kept a clean sheet. Maybe Chicago can't finish, but maybe the Red Bull's defense was a brick wall. Probably a combination of both but still, that is worrisome. We don't need any help not scoring goals.

We can control the pace of the game and we can play decent defense minus our giveaways. The one thing we have not shown we are able to do is score. We will have to score this weekend in order to win because I am almost positive (94.5%) New York will. They like to score and they do it a lot (tied with KC for most goals in the MLS at 19). I think most of us fans, including me, have been so worried about the defensive depth and mistakes that we have overlooked our inability to score. We are allowed to score more than 2 goals in a game, I promise we are allowed to do that.

As a fan of the MLS I'm happy that this rivalry will be renewed, as a DC United fan I am worried that we will stop owning RBNY. Come on you black and red!

Hopes and Dreams for Match 2.9

1. The full three points.
2. We give a goal away because RBNY earns it, not because we give something stupid away.
3. Luci gets his groove back.
4. Erpen scores from distance.