Work still remains to be true contender With each missed opportunity, the urgency grows and the time dwindles for D.C. United to accomplish its only objective this season: make the playoffs.
But after three consecutive years without reaching the postseason, United is a work in progress, and a playoff berth could belie how much work remains for it to become a legitimate contender again.
| Up next |
| Real Salt Lake at D.C. United |
| When » Saturday, 7:30 p.m. |
| Where » RFK Stadium |
With seven games remaining and at least two in hand on nearly every team in MLS, there’s no reason United (8-8-11) can’t achieve its goal — technically, it still could finish first in the Eastern Conference.
There’s little evidence on the field to suggest United will, however.
“I haven’t seen consistent, game-after-game, high-level performances,” United coach Ben Olsen said after a two-goal lead was wasted in a 2-2 draw with Chivas USA on Wednesday. “The talent’s there. Talent’s not enough.”
In his first full season, Olsen has had to rebuild with a back line that fell into place only by accident and has been limited by injuries and players out of position. Expected to anchor United’s defense, center back Dejan Jakovic has been limited by hamstring problems to 15 starts, one fewer than Ethan White, who has played far more than was expected in his rookie season.
Perry Kitchen was seen as MLS-ready when United chose him third overall in the MLS SuperDraft in January — but as the heir apparent to defensive midfielder Clyde Simms, not as a right back, where he has spent the bulk of 2,006 minutes on the field, the second most on the team.
On the opposite wing, journeyman Daniel Woolard’s limitations adding to United’s attack from left back have increasingly overshadowed the defensive work that merited his replacement of Marc Burch, who hasn’t been the same since a 2010 foot injury.
D.C. United, which hasn’t won back-to-back matches in more than two years, also has more questions than answers at forward. The returns of Charlie Davies and Josh Wolff have been sporadic. Neither player’s future in the District is guaranteed for 2012.
Pieces are in place in midfield and in front of the net. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid has played his way into U.S. national team consideration. The acquisition of playmaker Dwayne De Rosario from New York will go down as the most lopsided trade of the year. He was a strong complement to Andy Najar and Chris Pontius before Pontius was lost for the season with a broken leg this month.
Because the solution to United’s needs won’t come before the offseason — and next year could be even more complicated because of international call-ups for the Olympics — Olsen realizes how much making this year’s playoffs would ease the strain.
The players haven’t yet gotten the message.
“We have experience,” said Simms, one of only three players remaining from United’s last playoff team in 2007. “We have the players to get results against the rest of our opponents this season. We just have to dig in and concentrate, take one game at a time and not even think about playoffs.”
