Caught in Possession

Just like Craig Stouffer predicted, here's my look at Gonzalo Martinez, DC United's Steady Eddie for 2008.

This Colombian is cool as the proverbial cucumbers, polar bear keratin or pillow undersides -- take your pick. His speed and athleticism make it hard to believe he's almost 33 years old, but then again, heaps of poise and confidence make clear his age and experience.

Looking ahead to Sunday's United-Galaxy clash on national TV, I think Martinez may play a central role in DC's tactical approach to the league's highest-scoring attack.

Assuming Tom Soehn likes him out wide on the left right now and has enough faith in his central defenders to keep the status quo, Martinez is going to face off against the Galaxy's David Beckham throughout Sunday's match. And considering the kind of lockdown defending he's capable of, Martinez looks likely to be Soehn's pick as the blunt instrument with which to stifle Becks' creative threat.

In fact, we might even get to watch the muscular Colombian chase GoldenBalls all over the field, assuming Becks floats in from the right wing in search of the ball, as he's prone to do. And that might even pull Martinez forward enough to allow more looks at goal...and that's certainly not a bad thing for the Black-and-Red now, is it?