Playoff Match Recap: DC United 2 - Chicago Fire 2

Boy, did I pick the wrong time to go to the bathroom.

Who the hell would have thought that the Fire would score two goals in three or four minutes?

As I didn't see either Fire goal, I am not going to bitch and moan about who messed up or whut not. I am going to bitch and moan about how I watched yet another DC United match where the players in the United jersey's didn't show up with any heart. The supporters in the stands should have asked for their money back.

You are down a goal and you go down two more. Yet you continue to play slow soccer. Passes were slow and guys routinely failed to close in on the ball. There were three or four chances that we lost to have scoring opportunities simply because a United player didn't run full speed to collect a ball.

We deserved to lose tonight. DC United didn't show up until the 73rd minute. That is damn near criminal to do. Why the hell did Soehn put Rod in the match? Adderly would have been a better choice, he at least runs. If Rod isn't on this roster next year, I won't shed a tear. I might actually have a beer thanking whomever it was that finally sent that guy packing.

So, now we all get to go to RFK on the 18th and watch two other clubs with more heart play for our trophy. Next you are going to tell me that the Red Bulls will be one of them and that they will win.

I expect several changes this off season. Gomez (despite having another great year and being one of the only guys to wake up in the last 20 minutes of that laugher of a match tonight) is most likely gone from the club. If Jamie returns I will be shocked as well. If Fred didn't return, well, don't expect me to bitch about it, I really haven't been sold on that guy either.

One last thing and this sounds like sore loser syndrome, which it probably is, but what the hell.

MLS needs to seriously rework the playoffs. What is the point of having anyone seeded if you are going to give the teams an equal footing in the first round? Why have two matches, one at home and one away? How does sending the higher seeded team away from home give them any advantage? The first match in a two legged series is what sets the tone for the entire series. The Fire didn't have to do anything and they waited for United to come at them. I won't be shocked if the Dynamo or Chivas get knocked out of the playoffs. Make the playoffs one match each and have the higher seeded clubs host the matches. That would be the easiest way to at least give the illusion that the higher seed gets some type of reward for finishing higher. If not, I say United just flounder next season as long as they make the playoffs.

Well, the 2007 season if over for me. I have a ticket to the MLS Cup final, but right now I really don't want to go. I will though, I will be wearing my Bayern Munich jersey and I won't care who is on the field nor will I care who wins. If the pitch were to suddenly open up and swallow both teams at the same time, I doubt I would even care about that.

Playoff Match Preview: DC United vs. Chicago Fire

MLS Cup Playoffs: Conference Semi-Finals
Match #2: DC United vs. Chicago Fire
RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
7:30pm ESPN2

I usually don't do these anymore, but I figured that with how United's season hinges on the outcome of tonight's match, I figured I would toss out my two cents.

Forget the past. The Chicago Fire have this great record against United in the playoffs. Yeah, I heard that several places and I witnessed two of those matches live. Yes, they were able to get a 1-0 victory last week in Chicago and that gives them the goal and mental advantage heading into tonight.

Forget the past. All United needs to do is play it's own game. RFK Stadium is going to be rocking and all we need to do is play our game. We need to have Troy in the net and he needs to be the foundation that the entire defense is based on. His clutch performances this season and last need to shine through once again tonight.

Our best defense needs to be out there (Namoff, Vanney, Boswell, Burch). Without Boswell, we will honestly be helpless against the same type of goal situation we took last week. Boswell gives us the best chance we have to truly defend in the air, and we will need it tonight.

Our best available midfield needs to be out there (Fred, Gomez, Olsen, Simms) and they need to string better passes to each other and the forwards. Passing to a spot behind your teammate is not the way to go. If we can do the simple things correctly in the midfield, then we will have every chance possible to score tonight.

We need to have Emillio and Moreno start and get the bulk of the minutes up front. Moreno, as we saw in the second half last week, gives us an entirely different "vibe" on the ball. His pace and control when he has the ball as well as his positioning are all qualities that none of the other forwards have and we need that. Emillio is the lynch pin. We need his positioning and his attacking skills to get us the goal that we need to turn this ship around. If Emillio is given two chances, I honestly feel that we get a goal. That means we need a second from someone else and based on this clubs scoring record this season, that second goal could come from anyone.

If United plays their game, defends like we have seen them do match after match after match this season, then we will win tonight and have a date with either New York or New England. If our midfield controls their movement and passes like we have seen time and time again this season, then we will win tonight. If the Emilliboot shows up and shows the rest fo MLS why he should be the 2007 MLS MVP, then we win tonight.

If not, I am wearing my Bayern Munich jersey to the MLS Cup.

Match Recap: DC United 0 - 1 Chicao Fire

It's not that horrible, but damn we looked slow and our passing was off and late. I wanted a better result.

So now we have a week to get our heads back into playing mode and to get our focus back.

In my opinion, Fred needs to work on his passing accuracy. Four of five times tonight I saw him make a soft, slow pass behind his target. These weren't passes in the air, they were on the ground. Most of United's passes were to the spot that the target player used to be. Do they not practice leading passes? Do they not expect their teammates to make any type of leading run?

I am upset with the play of United tonight. I expected more, despite any injuries we might have had. Chicago didn't show me anything that suggests that they were the better club, besides one guy hitting a great shot. I demand better play from DC United next Thursday. I do not want to watch the damn Fire celebrate in our house next Thursday. I have seen it before and it makes me want to puke. I for damn sure do not want to see two teams, neither one being United, face off at RFK on November 18th.

Focus and step up like you guys are supposed to do and as I have seen you do.

Half Time thoughts: DC United vs. Chicago Fire

Here we are at half time, down 1-0 to the Chicago Fire. I have alot of questions from the first half. I want to know why Boswell isn't in the central midfield. I want to know why Kpene is the lone forward, couldn't Fred or Adderly been sent up front with Kpene? I know that Soehn must have tried to get out of Dodge with a 0-0 draw, but seeings how we aren't gonna get that scoreline, what change will he make in the second half?

I can definitely see that Chicago wants it more, at least in my opinion. They are closing in on our guys when they are on the ball. Chicago will not give our guys, Olsen, Fred and Gomez primarily any real time to collect the ball and see the field. We need quicker feet and we need to be doing the same thing to the Fire. If we put more pressure on them when they first get the ball, we will have a chance to get back into the match.

Our passing is horrible. Half the time Fred tries to pass the ball, he does so to an open spot, and because they are closing faster than we are, a Fire player collects the pass. We need to clean this crap up quickly or we will return home down 2 goals.

On a different note, I truly hope that ESPN didn't sprain anything kissing that much of Chicago's ass with their pregame coverage. I haven't seen that much of a biased love fest since the NLCS pregame coverage on the Colorado Rockies a few days ago. I couldn't believe how much Rob Stone was licking Blanco's ass in that pregame crap.

Anyways. We have a hole and we have got to get our asses out of it. I think we can do it, but if we play the same way in the second half as we did the first...we die.

Match Recap: DC United 0 - 0 Chicago Fire

I had to wait until today to write this as I didn't want to rant and rave about how pissed I was at how horrible DC United played last night.

In any case, here I go anyhow....

I don't remember seeing United play that badly since last season. With the exception of Troy (who was HUGE in goal last night) the rest of the side really failed to do pretty much anything other than take up space. Yes we shut down Mr. White, but despite Clyde and Brian Carroll marking him very well, Blanco wasn't doing anything that was that dangerous, unless him flopping to the ground is dangerous to the new grass (field looks nice btw).

Our passing was horrible, as it seemed that ever time a United player tried to pass, they thought that United was wearing it's road white jersey's. Chicago was able to pick off so many passes last night that it looked like we were passing to them. Our offense was just as bad, as we couldn't get any type of service in to Emillio. Kpene was just as bad last night as he was in the first half of the Toronto FC match. I saw that he had his hand wrapped in ice after halftime, I hope he is alright.

How can one team allow 11 shots in the first half? Troy should have been exhausted at halftime, yet he came out for the second half and pulled off yet another spectacular performance. The entire club should be buying him dinner next week.

We aren't that bad a club when we are only missing Moreno. We beat New England 3-0 in New England without Jamie and I have seen the rest of the club produce when he was out, but last night it looked like we couldn't make anything happen up top. I am hoping that United takes care of this in the off season and picks up another forward that can actually do something... maybe trade for Kenny Cooper?

Sara mentioned to me as we left last night, "It's better than a loss, yeah?"

I guess so. In the scheme of the Supporters Shield, it is almost like a loss. Chivas USA dropped two points Thursday night and without Razov tonight, they "might" drop two more, but I don't expect them to. That means in order to win the Supporters Shield, United must win next Saturday at home against a Columbus Crew side that has nothing to lose and who just knocked off the Revolution last night. If United plays as they did last night, then Chivas has a very, very good chance of picking up the Supporters Shield.

Hopefully Jamie will return from World Cup Qualifying (Bolivia lost 5-0 btw) and brings that panache back.

Quick Match Recap: DC United 1 - 1 Chicago Fire

When is a draw really a win?

When you essentially start your second string midfield against a club that is desperate for points and still leave with a point. That is basically what DC United did yesterday in Chicago with Olsen, Fred, Gomez and Simms all not taking the field at the opening. I liken this to the Redskins starting a game without Campbell, Moss, Cooley and Portis.

In any case, as I watched yesterday's tape delayed match on CSN, I tried my best to keep from switching channels as I watched the Fire midfield gobble up most of the play. Blanco's pass that setup Barrett's goal was very well placed and with the "luck" of Boswell failing to get back over to help out Namoff, Barrett beat Perkins for their goal. Once Cylde Simms was brought on the field in for Namoff, United's composure looked completely different. Yes we were still without Gomez or Fred making moves in the middle, but defensively, United looked much more solid.

Moreno's goal has got to be up for goal of the week. That was truly amazing, not only that it could go in from the angle that he hit it, but that Pickens completely flubbed it.

So we went in without our midfield and stole a point. Now that United took care of the bad situation, we have Wednesday nights Copa Nissan Sudamericana match to look forward to. With a full line-up expected (well, Namoff might be doubtful, I can't find any news) we should be able to put in a good match. We then have Toronto FC on Saturday, then at Chivas followed with at Kansas City and home to Chicago and the Crew.

Their First Team can't win either: America falls to Pachuca

So right as I was leaving Mexico City last week, everyone and their brother was gearing up for the two legged series between America and Pachuca for the Apertura championship. America had sent it's second string side to Brasil to face Santos in the Copa Libertadores in hopes of resting their first string players for the Pachuca match-up. Well, it really didn't do them much good.

Pachuca won the first leg last Friday 2-1 at Azteca Stadium and drew 1-1 at home Sunday night to win their second league championship in the last three tournaments. Pachuca also added a third trophy to its case, having just picked up the CONCACAF Champions Cup in April and winning the CONMEBOL Copa Sudamericana in December.

One bright spot for America was that Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored in both of the matches; however, as these were his last two matches with America, they should begin to look for another forward. Blanco signed with MLS side Chicago Fire and should be joining them in the next several weeks.

So much for resting the First Team. Maybe they should have sent their first team to Brasil and used their second team against Pachuca?

Chicago Fire sign's the Devil

Yup, Blanco to the Chicago Fire has been announced. He will be in the Windy City tomorrow to sign his contract. The contract is rumored to be around $2 million a year.

I hope this turns into butts in the seats, as the Fire need the help and Blanco might not last that long. I can't wait for Bobby Boswell to introduce himself to Blanco's shins.