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D.C. United in real trouble after 2-0 loss to Chicago

9 May, 2008

By Chris Hummer - Potomac Soccer Wire Editor

D.C. United's slow start to the MLS season seemed bearable before last night considering last season had started just the same, yet the team rallied to win the title for the best overall record in MLS. But after an embarrassing 2-0 loss to the Chicago Fire at RFK on national television, things are looking pretty bad.

In the locker room after the game, team President Kevin Payne was visibly upset.  “We need our guys to step up and take responsibility and I'm not seeing it right now,” he said with quite a bit of passion of his own. He commented on the lack of fight in the team of late, and how he believes some players are taking stretches of the games off. “We will make wholesale changes if we need to turn this around.” He continued, “This is completely unacceptable.”

While some fans and media members are talking about the safety of Head Coach Tom Soehn's job,  most of Payne's ire seemed to be directed towards the players, though certainly the pressure to perform must be felt at all levels. Said Soehn when asked if he feels pressure, “There's always pressure. We're not winning, so I have to fix it.”

Fix it indeed.

With 10-straight regular season road losses going back to last season, going on the road for the next two games can't be comforting for the 2nd year Coach. If things aren't fixed on this trip, it's not hard to see D.C. United's ownership making changes in an attempt to get things on the right track.

United was without Designated Player Marcelo Gallardo and 2nd year winger Fred agianst the Fire. The team started in a 3-5-2, with Jamie Moreno playing at the top of the midfield behind a two man attack of Luciano Emilio and Franco Neill. Rod Dyachenko got the start in central midfield as well.

United held much of the possession throughout the first half, but lacked ingenuity in the final 3rd, relying on long distance efforts - the best of which came from a 30-yard blast by Clyde Simms in the middle of the first half.

Throughout the game, United simply lacked creativity in the final third, with virtually no off the ball runs and doing a poor job of isolating defenders one on one. Chicago played efficient - almost bunkering – defense, but with just enough of a counter attack threat in Chad Barrett, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Justin Mapp, and Chris Rolfe to keep United's 3-man back line, and lone holding midfielder Simms, busy.

Luciano Emilio, reigning team and MLS MVP, has seemed completely lost all season.  As often as he drops back in the midfield to gain possession, he usually gives it up again. He remains most dangerous lurking around the 18, creating just enough space to get off low percentage shots. But it seems any other time he has the ball, it's basically a sure give away.

The first goal of the game came against the run of play, but was delivered with precision by the Fire. The active Rolfe sent a looping cross in from the right side to a well-marked Barrett who managed to rise above Brian Namoff and lay a perfect header into the path of the onrushing Mapp. The former United player calmly lashed home from 14 yards past a helpless Zack Wells. The marking – or lack there of – on Mapp seemed to break down in three places, though Santino Quaranta took most of the heat from the coaches.

Quaranta was nearest to Mapp, but he's not a defender by trade, and got caught watching the ball floating to Barrett rather than scanning for open red shirts. However, as replays also showed, Gonzalo Martinez made no attempt to move into the middle as the cross was delivered, despite the fact he had swapped places temporarily with central back Gonzalo Peralta – who was pressuring Rolfe. Simms also had lost Mapp as he made his run through midfield.

What fight United had in them was deflated with the goal, and although the teams went into half time 1-0, fire alarms must have continued going off in Soehn's head as he looked ahead to a 2nd half with few options to make changes with a bench full of six players in their first season with the team and an average age of 21.

They returned for the 2nd half with the same line up, showed a little pep at first, but then seemed to fall asleep at the wheel for ten straight minutes as Chicago threatened their goal three serious times before a wonder-goal by Blanco from 30 yards. Mistakes were all around on the play, starting with yet another turnover at midfield by Franco Niell, but also compounded by a retreating defensive back three and no real pressure by Simms as he tracked alongside the two-time World Cup star from Mexico.

Soehn, with nothing to lose now, couldn't wait any longer and subbed new signing Francis Doe for Quaranta. The move effectively placed four forwards on the field in a desperate attempt to get the game back with a rarely seen 3-4-3 formation and just 25 minute remaining.

The plethora of forward-minded players kept most of the play in Chicago's half, but the lack of creativity and punch was just as poor by the home team. It wasn't until after Emilio was subbed off for West Virginia rookie Dan Stratford that United became dangerous. Stratford dropped back into holding mid with Simms as the team returned to a 3-5-2. The move allowed Moreno to push up further, and the results were immediate as the Bolivian got on the end of several chances, with his best clanging off the cross bar in the 86th minute. But despite his best efforts and some good service, no goals came.

With the final sub not used until the 92nd minute (Quavis Kirk for Dyachenko), one was left to wonder what might have happened had the last two substitutions come earlier. Down 2-0 with hungry rookies on the bench and a team that looked tired, perhaps giving some young guns an opportunity much earlier could have generated some chances, if not flat out discovered a hidden gem that United so desperately needs to find now that it appears their high-priced off-season signings simply aren't getting it done.

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