If D.C. United was in any other professional soccer league in the world, the season effectively would be over. By clinching Major League Soccer’s best record last weekend, United (15-5-10) would have also claimed the championship trophy. The team’s final two regular season matches would be pure exhibition.
But in America the only thing that matters is the playoffs. With a playoff opener on the road at Kansas City or New York just around the corner, there are three things United must do to prepare in the coming weeks:
» Rediscover an attacking rhythm: In the first two-thirds of the season, United averaged nearly two goals per game (37 goals in 20 games). But since the end of a 14-game unbeaten streak in late July, D.C. has scored barely a goal per match (12 goals in 10 games), and has been shutout three times, including twice in September.
“When we get that one goal, we gotta keep playing. We can’t just play for the one-goal win. I think we’ve done that a couple times and we can’t do that anymore,” said United forward Freddy Adu. “When you do that the other team just puts way too much pressure on you and we’re relying on counterattacks. We just gotta play the same way we did when we scored the goal, and we’ll keep scoring more.”
» Organize the defense: “It was probably goal of the year. I think that’s going to win. Clap your hands, hats off to that,” said United goalkeeper Troy Perkins of Houston striker Brian Ching’s bicycle kick last weekend in D.C.’s 1-0 loss. However, there wasn’t a D.C. defender within five yards and Ching been defended properly, he wouldn’t have had the space to even consider that kind of shot.
Perkins still had MLS goalkeeper of the yearsewn up by midsummer and second-year center back Bobby Boswell is a likely selection for the league’s defender of the year. But the two need more consistent help from the outside backs than they’ve seen of late.
The absence of Bryan Namoff, Facundo Erpen and even Josh Gros due to suspensions for yellow and red cards have taken their toll on a defense that was rock solid early in the year.
» Restore a blemished reputation: “D.C. United was great early, but they haven’t been very good lately.” It’s a refrain repeated for the last two months. With potential Eastern Conference finals opponents New England and Chicago — two great rivals and clearly formidable opponents — on the docket in the final two weeks, United must play well to reestablish itself as the favorite to win a fifth MLS Cup.
“It’s a chance for us to really make sure,” said Perkins, “that they know that they shouldn’t even have a chance when they come here.”
Much Adu
» D.C. United forward Freddy Adu was one of 16 players selected for U.S. Under-20 National Team training camp next week. Head coach Thomas Rongen announced his roster for the upcoming four-day camp in Sunrise, Fla., from Oct. 8-12.
» The camp includes a closed-door match against Haiti’s Under-23 Men’s National Team. Former Maryland midfielder Robbie Rogers, who now plays for SC Heerenveen in the Netherlands, was also chosen for the camp.
