Olsen's Army Answers Call

The start of this week was tough for DC. After losing three straight games in disgraceful fashion, the boys answered the call on Wednesday, beating Seattle 2-1. Seattle came to RFK (a venue where they have never lost) chasing first place in the western conference, to play a team that had given up 11 goals in the last three games. Under pressure to show signs of life, Olsen rallied his team and ramped up pressure to a level that had not been seen all season. The result was a sucker-punch of a match that gave Seattle more fight than they were expecting.

Many of the players exceeded expectations for them for this game. Charlie Davies scored a goal with an assist from Josh Wolff. In the second half, he returned the favor for Wolff's goal. Both of these came off of balls slotted through by Andy Najar whose technical ability was in top form. The defense gave up only a single goal (on a deserved penalty kick). What about goalie Bill Hamid? His play was outstanding, and kept DC in the lead in the closing minutes of the game.

The most important thing about this game may be that when pushed into a corner, Olsen was able to rally his team. As poor as the squad played against the Houston, this week they were in sync. On Monday, Olsen's practice was intense by all accounts. It included a lot of yelling and the team's reaction could well have responded less positively. This was in stark contrast to last year's team, which was demoralized by this time last year and was unable to rally when then-coach Curt Onalfo recited his mantra that the team would have to "Dig a little deeper", after each game.

If United continue to perform well over the course of the season (even if they miss the playoffs), Olsen's effort this week will stand as a defining moment for the coach. "Game 8? Oh yeah, that's the game Benny showed what he could do."

DC United's Growing Pains

Everyone understood at the beginning of the season that this would be a tough year for DC United. Coach Ben Olsen warned about it. Commentators noted the club's lack of experience regularly. Fan sites expressed positivity that this year's team would be better than last year's (setting the bar extremely low). So a rough spot early in the season, with 27 matches left is not something to be alarmed about. What is more interesting is how the players and coaches deal with this adversity.

DC does not have reliable offensive playmaker. Charlie Davies though leading the race for the Golden Boot, has been better in drawing goal kicks than scoring in the run of play. Attacking midfielder and team captain Dax McCarty his served as the proverbial engine to make the team go. But he has not been the creative player that teams need in that position. Moreover, he's been losing about a million balls per came. To make matters worse, DC seems to have lost Branco Boskovic to an ACL injury, leaving him sidelined for four to six months. Over the last 2-3 games Bosko played, he alone provided an offensive spark, getting several quality shots on goal and scoring twice in Open Cup game last week (where he was later injured). Options are now limited, and it is unclear how Coach Olsen will address the midfield-especially since the team was believed to possess a strong midfield at the start of the season.

During the off-season, Onstad agreed to come to DC United to help develop the extremely young defense. However, an injury to goalkeeper Steve Cronin forced Onstad to come out of retirement to play in goal for several games. In week one the defense looked strong and reliable. By week 4, serious cracks were starting to show. United have allowed 11 goals in the last three games. Now that Onstad has returned to coaching, is it possible he will be able to rebuild the defense's ability and restore some of their confidence? Before that, DC will have a very difficult home game on 4 May against Seattle, followed by a home game against Dallas. Whether Onstad is able to start guiding the defense down a brighter path remains to be seen.

According to Washington Post reporter Steven Goff, Coach Olsen spent much of the practice on Monday 2 May yelling. Unlike during other weeks with short rests between games, United a a full two hour long practice. Throughout the practice, Olsen often stopped the team to reinforce learning points and video footage on the team's website shows him running up behind Charlie Davies and yelling at him about what looked like making a run off the ball. Is the yelling a sign of desperation? Clearly, if DC lose on Wednesday, the team could start to lose faith in their leader and as we saw in 2010, once the team loses faith in the coach the season is done.

DC United's players, coaches, management and (dare I say it?) fans, need to stick to their guns this season. Unlike in other leagues, salary restrictions in MLS require that the team endure a patient building process over a few years. Dallas FC, New York Red Bulls and especially Real Salt Lake are good examples of the process. If Coach Olsen turns the team around by the end of the 2012 season, he will have done precisely what was expected of him. But he will never get a chance to achieve that goal if he is forced to resign in the middle of this season.

DC United Week 2: What the Heck Was That?

Maybe it was New England's turf field. Maybe United were still excited about last week's win. Perhaps three players who started for the first game of the season was too many to deal with. It does not matter, DC were flat in their first away game of the season. In contrast to last week, there was a lack of vigor on Saturday and at times (especially in the first half) it looked like Joseph Ngwenya and Chris Pontius were the only ones working.

For most of the game, United's players looked like strangers on the field, there was little coordination and several times it looked like players were not expecting to ball to come toward them. Najar fought for the ball, cross it into the box, only for no one to be on the other end. What happened to the link-up play?

But if United needed a boost, it was New England who received it early in the game after a clear handball five feet from the goal by Zack Schilawski, went uncalled in the eighth minute. A few minutes later, Shalrie Joseph converted on a penalty kick after Dax McCarty jumped tried to clear the ball in the box with a wild kick that caught a sparrow-in-flight-like Pat Phelan in the shin. In total, there were five yellow cards called in the game and one red card. There was also a penalty kick taken by Charlie Davies in the 89th minute, but it was too little too late.

Coach Olsen tried to compensate for New England's midfield in the second half, changing his 4-4-2 to a 3-5-2 and bringing two subs on.

Attitude Adjustment Needed?
It is unclear what happened this week. Maybe the pressure of facing the Revolution at Foxboro? Afterall, in an era where MLS is trying to play-up team rivalries, the differences between these clubs are real. This is not like last year's "rivalry" between United and the expansion Philadelphia Union; two teams that had never played each other, but which journalists parroted MLS in playing up the rivalries between these cities in other sports. Oddly enough, perhaps the missing ingredient this week was character. It was disconcerting watching Charlie Davies pat Revs goalie on the back after saving a goal and smiling and hugging other players at different times. I think most people want to see him do well, but we also want to see him less chummy with opposing teams.

DC United to Face Key Rivals, New England Revolution

DC's 1st away game of the season promises to be a tough slog, as they travel to Boston to face New England Revolution.

Last weekend United's defense stymied Columbus Crew, allowing just one goal behind the leadership (and communication skills) of the ridiculously young Perry Kitchen. Kitchen will not play this week however, because he has been called up for international duty to the US U20 team. United can also miss out on the services of right-back Jed Zayner, who has been nursing a hamstring most of the week and still listed as day-to-day on Thursday. To plug these holes, DC is likely to call on Rodrigo Brasesco (an Uruguayan defender signed in the offseason in place of Julius James) at centerback and Chris Korb, a former team mate of Kitchen at Akron to fill in for Zayner.

While DC’s midfield should remain intact, it is less clear whether Coach Ben Olsen will leave the attack or start Charlie Davies. Davies’s two goals last week (one from a free kick) made great headlines and this storyline will continue to play out over the next eight months. But is Davies a better option up front that Joseph Ngwenya? Ngwenya, a strong and physical attacker, played the first fifty minutes last week, running down balls, holding up the ball and providing some assistance on defense. However, his shots on goal were a little overzealous and they were all way over the bar.

For New England the picture is less clear as the team continues to struggle with injuries to three probable starters, All-Star Kevin Alston (right back), and new additions Ousmane Dabo (defensive midfield) and Didier Domi (left back). Last week, Coach Steve Nicol opted to field a 4-5-1 against L.A. Galaxy in L.A., this week again Nicol’s selection of a starting lineup and formation will be equally difficult, despite playing at home. The Revs backline will again be missing key players, and Marko Perovic (who started last week) has also picked up an injury.

Prediction: Expect New England midfielder Shalrie Joseph to shine again as the Revs will find it extremely difficult to find goals elsewhere. Nicol will go again with a 4-5-1, with Ilija Solica perhaps replacing Perovic in the midfield. DC’s Chris Korb will be tested and but Brasesco’s experience will fortify the center. An aggressive DC will win this one 2-0.