Riding Out the Perfect Storm

Riding Out the Perfect Storm

Mike Martin

May 19, 2008

DC United is weathering one of the worst runs in the team’s entire history. It’s been a perfect storm of circumstances conspiring against United lately. But while the team seems to be hurtling inevitably toward catastrophe, there may still be time to ride out the storm.

Washington D.C., United’s problems are obvious and overwhelming to date. To put it simply, the team is in a bad place. There have been hideously poor performances individually and collectively. There’s also been the excruciatingly slow crawl towards integrating new players and finding a system. Plus, they’ve had the added bonus of some brutally precise injuries to crucial players, to go along with a coach seemingly determined to undermine the team.

However, while all that seems like a recipe for an unavoidably disastrous season, there are actually a lot of positive signs that could turn this thing around before this season reaches the hideous depths the 2000-2002 teams suffered. The similarities between this team and those tortuous years are there for sure, but that doesn’t mean those results are inevitable.

First and foremost, this team is actually beginning to show the effort necessary to win in MLS. Systems and formations and style are meaningless if the players refuse to work and scrap hard enough to win. There’s been a decided sense of entitlement from this team ever since they were assembled. But, that illusion of supremacy should be shattered beyond recognition after this past weekend when essentially a club team beat the crap out of them when they took their foot off the gas thinking the job was done after earning a well deserved lead on the road for the first time this year.

However, now you’re beginning to see players claw and scrap and fight for every loose ball. True, Chivas out-scrapped them just this past weekend, but that was only in the last 30 minutes. For most of the game, DC out-worked and out-hustled the home side and deserved to leave with at least a point. But, the fact that a mere 60 minutes of effort was brutally punished by a woefully undermanned opponent should end the idea that anyone wearing a United kit is above rolling in the dirt if that’s what it takes to win the little battles so necessary for success.

Plus, white hot intensity from some key players is beginning to emerge. Ben Olsen’s leadership has certainly been missed, but Gallardo is well on his way to willing this team to greater heights if they will follow him. He’s in the trenches doing the heavy digging every game. Jaime Moreno has been an example on the field for as many of the games as his 35 year old body will allow, not so much this past weekend, but he has been among the best players on the field more often than not this year. However, more importantly, he has been quietly asserting himself a lot more at practice and in the locker-room. Those guys have the respect of the entire team. They live and breathe excellence and if they’re pushing the buttons, then the rest of the team will respond.

Most of the defensive players are already scrapping like junk yard dogs as they’ve had to survive being left to hold the bag by the hideously frequent turnovers committed so far this year. But in particular Gonzalo Martinez has now shown he will not back down or give up and could be the backbone in the back this team hasn’t had since the Admiral skipped over the pond. Martinez is adjusting to MLS now and isn’t likely to let a clown like Atiba the Hun outmuscle him ever again. Peralta has already been through the ringer and come out the other side too. McTavish coming back means Mediate or a rookie won’t get thrown to the wolves too many more times.

Emilio and now Wells have obviously lost their way, but they have legitimate threats to their jobs if that continues much longer. Carvallo should play in the next week, and if he blanks whichever Toronto match he plays, he might not ever give the job back. Now, more likely Wells pulls himself together now that he knows what it feels like to be the starter clinging to the job instead of the hungry backup looking to fill in, but there is someone ready to step in if he allows any more soft goals like the two he gifted Chivas.

Emilio just seems shocked that after all the success he had last year, has to work even harder this year, but he’ll either take it up a notch, or he’ll be replaced. Fred and McTavish coming back might well free up Quaranta who has clearly shown the heart required to take Luciano’s job if he continues to flounder. That’s if Doe and Niell don’t put him on the bench sooner than that. But again, Emilio has the skills and ability to pull himself together if he gets it into his head that he has to adjust to the team and scrap for chances too. But there’s nothing like a little competition to sharpen the focus that much more.

Secondly, but maybe no less important, the team is showing definitive signs of identifying their style and the best use of the roster as it is presently constituted. It seems pretty obvious the team is most comfortable now and for the immediate future playing a basic 4-4-2, and has a decent mix of players who can play the roles expected of that style.

That’s not to say the formation is a panacea. It just means that this system seems to be the formation and tactics that leads to the least amount of trouble defensively, and gives the offense the most chances for success. Sure, the team has found some success using other styles in specific circumstances, but unless the team is planning on more changes to the roster, clearly the best formation and style to fit the current roster top to bottom is a four man backline and a diamond midfield.

Four in the back tightens up the central defense by not expecting them to chase out wide if someone in midfield gets beat. It’s pretty clear that when our central defenders get pulled wide, a goal and a loss is almost a forgone conclusion. Peralta, Martinez, (and McTavish) compliment each other well and DC is far more likely to get a shut out if those two guys are paired centrally, at least for now. Plus, since United clearly wants their defenders to simply contain and wait for help to dispossess the attacker or cut off the passing lanes, this system provides the simplest angles for players to cover for each other.

In addition, having wide defenders helps the outside midfielders to join the attack that much easier. Since the team is clearly set up to play a possession style, it’s lot easier to have wide players be consistent options if they aren't exhausted from running 90 yards of sideline. Tough to possess well if your wing players are pinned back and all you can do is pass to double covered forwards. However, Quaranta, Fred, McTavish, and even Kirk are excellent options if all they need to do is make the deep runs going forward, and much fewer runs backward in support because they have cover behind them.

So, DC looks to have found a formula that can be successful. They showed excellent possession and movement in CONCACAF earlier this year, and against Chivas for 60 minutes. The wide players got deep into the attack to open things up for the middle players to exploit. Most of the good play this season has been when McTavish or Fred earlier on, or Santino lately has gotten deep into the attack, allowing Moreno and Emilio or Niell (on occasion), or Francis Doe most recently dig for chances around the edges of the box, which opens things up for Gallardo to make plays in the middle.

In that sense, they are much like Houston’s 4-4-2, as opposed to say KC or RSL where wing play is more of an afterthought. Houston has Mullan and Holden to scrap on the outsides and pull opposing defenses apart for DeRosario and Ching to capitalize on. Or if defenses jam up DeRo and Ching, the outside guys set each other up by switching from one side to the other to attack the weak side defense for a chance at goal. Once Emilio finds his form (assuming he actually does) to link up with Gallardo, and Fred returns as a counterpoint for Santino, then DC will have more talent to make the system more effective, but they seem to have a basic idea of how their offense should flow regardless.

Thirdly, the team is getting a lot healthier and might be within a few days of practicing a full week with everyone available except Olsen. And sad to say, but even Olsen’s situation being settled is a relief of sorts. Rather than waiting for Godot, they know they have to move on and pick up the slack themselves. Gallardo and Moreno are back to full strength. Peralta is back with the team. McTavish and Fred are half a game away from fitness. There’s some bumps and bruises, but overall, the team is almost back to the way it was drawn up in preseason.

Yes, the team should more able to weather injury problems, but with the lack of a defined system along with poor effort overall, meant the hideous precision of specific players getting hurt was particularly devastating. Tough to define a role for the reserve players to learn, when the team barely knew exactly what the role was that needed to be filled. But aside from that, talent alone can hide a multitude of sins, and DC has talent especially when Fred hurtles himself into the attack alongside Gallardo, Moreno and Santino, and if Emilio finds himself, it’s that much better. Alternatively, McTavish is a big step up in talent who can come in to expertly fill almost any role off the bench.

Fourth, Soehn has been absolutely snakebit and obstinate about his coaching decisions, and neither of those things can continue for long. He’s too good a coach for bad luck and stubbornness to hold him in check for much longer. He’s been overthinking and being stubborn about seeing fanciful ideas through rather than jettison them the moment it’s clear they are not working. He got probably his final lesson in that thanks to Preki who showed that as lovely as their plan was at kickoff, when things went south he was quick to salvage a game for Chivas by reverting to form, benching an underperforming veteran (Razov), and putting some faith in rookies to fill specific roles and they came through.

Now, Soehn has the tools to do the same thing. His system looks to be in place, so now he has defined roles to teach young players exactly what they need to do if they are called upon. But, most importantly, throughout all these decisions that have backfired lately, he hasn’t lost the team. In 2000, and in 2002, the team had tuned out Wrongen and Ramblin’ Ray. That’s not true of this year. No one on the roster has shown any indication that the lunatics are running the asylum like they were in those dark years.

Finally, MLS is nothing if not forgiving in terms of salvaging your season. DC is certainly in a deep hole, but respectability is only a win streak away in the wacky world of MLS. DC is sitting on a pathetic 6 points after eight games, but 39 points is generally all that is needed to get into the playoffs. United has 22 games left, 11 home and 11 away. DC goes 11 and 11 and they’re almost certainly in the playoffs. Obviously ties may alter the math, but 9-7-6 does the same thing.

The important thing is that United gets decent points by the Superliga break eight games from now. 11 points in those eight games, five of which are at RFK, and DC is in business. Not too far out of touch that recovery is impossible when they resume MLS action in August. Also, a good showing in Superliga might boost the old confidence meters a few notches as well. But, even a poor showing that dumps them from the tournament, but gives them a few weeks to rest up and refocus on MLS could be a good thing.

So, even if DC doesn’t run off one of their usual mid summer unbeaten streaks, they still have a decent shot at respectability, which is obviously a step up from what we’ve got now. And frankly, if they can’t muster respectability by the August window, the team still has options. A new coach can be found. Arena was practically lobbying for the job on TV last week. Emilio can be sold or traded if he doesn’t find a way to fit in, and his money (and DP slot too, if sold) can be used for at least one other top flight player (hopefully), or two solid veterans. Worst come to worst, the team can just focus on MLS next year as that will be all they have on their plate if this year goes down the tubes.

It’s easy to shovel dirt on DC United right now as they have done little to deserve any better, but one thing they do have is talent, and you can’t create that if you don’t have it. Everything else can be fixed with a little spit and polish which this team seems perfectly willing to do. They may not win the league, or even go deep in the playoffs, but that just makes them a typical team in MLS. Right now, that’s not such a bad thing considering the alternative. But on the bright side, there’s still a lot of games left and this team can be as good as any in MLS, a Cup run isn’t impossible.

You can nail the coffin shut if you like and assume the worst will continue, but there are still reasons to believe DC will get things right.

Editorials

The Current State of United
July 30, 2008

Soehn Still Seeking Solutions, But Needs to Look in the Mirror
May 10, 2008

DC United Seeks Solutions for Slow Start
April 24, 2008

Los Tuzos and Ticos School MLS in Concacaf
April 03, 2008

2008 Eastern Conference Preview
March 26, 2008

2008 Western Conference Preview
March 24, 2008

Coming Together the United Way
March 07, 2008

DC United Looking to Texas for Results
March 02, 2008

DC United’s Goals are to Score Some
February 29, 2008

DC United and Poplar Point
February 18, 2008

Gomez Gone for Good
February 09, 2008

DC United: Excitement is Building for 2008
January 29, 2008

DC United Signs Gonzalo Martinez
January 24, 2008

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
December 24, 2007

Veron Spurns DC United
December 14, 2007