Is This DC United?

Andrew Dixon picks up the DC United story circa 2008, a team that has now shown just how easily they can return to form in international competition.

MIAMI, FL (July 17, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- This Grown Man is enjoying the Superliga Dos Mil Ocho, even more than I did last year.

One of the biggest reasons is that every game is a must-win match.  Whether it’s for points in the group standings, the US-Mexican rivalry or simply that little thing called pride, the games have largely been approached as “win or go home” by clubs from both sides of the Rio Grande.

And then there’s DC United.

Yes, I know Gallardo and Perralta were out.  For real though, did anybody have DC dropping two at home and all but out of the thing before game three?  If so, hit me up.  I've still got student loans and a mortgage to pay, and I need your help with these lottery numbers.

DC United came into the Superliga on an eight-game unbeaten run that had many starting to forget that awful 2-7 start to the season.  If there was one team that was heading into international play in a good frame of my mind aside from New England it had to be the team from SE DC.

Luciano Emillio, who had been missing in action earlier in the year and was even a transfer target, was suddenly finding the back of the net again. The defense which had looked confused and slow had now begun to tighten.  DC had climbed from the basement of the Eastern Conference and was in the process of making another mid-season run similar to 2007.

So color me confused as to what’s happened over the past five or six days.  The defensive mistakes that had been a feature of DC’s early season reappeared in startling fashion.  Missed tackles and a foolishly given free kick spotted Chivas a lead that they would not surrender.  Meanwhile, DC hit two posts and missed a game-tying penalty.  Unlucky perhaps, but at home on a big stage none of the above should be occurring.

As disappointing as the Chivas game was, Atlante was worse.  Houston can beat a team 4-0 after being less than impressive in MLS (17 goals in 16 games vs. 19 allowed).  Yet, DC came out flat and the defense woes continued. Atlante ran through and around DC’s defense at will, scoring goals at crucial times in the game where your defensive concentration needs to be at its highest: early (15th minute), late first half (44th minute goal) and early second half (49th minute).  This was textbook, and where was United?

“We didn’t do our jobs tonight,” said Jaime Moreno afterward. 

“I think they were underestimating us a little bit,” said Atlante coach José Guadalupe Cruz.

Excuse me? A big time game like this comes to your stadium and your captain admits that the side didn’t do its job?  Since when is any team in MLS good enough to underestimate an MFL side?

This has to be troubling on a few levels for United fans. Yes, the recent domestic unbeaten string is obviously more important than this tournament. Then again, knowing how easily this team can revert back to the form that brought them the 2-7 start and had me questioning coach Tom Soehn’s job security?  What kind of confidence will they bring to the Champions League, much less the rest of the MLS regular season?

Is this team so thin that a couple of injuries completely halts their momentum?  Apparently.

Were we deceived by the eight game run due to the quality of the opponents? Yes, they had solid wins against LA and Chicago (twice).  However, the victories in that stretch also included wins against RBNY (last in the East) , San Jose v. 2.0 (last in the West) at RFK against Toronto who have captured 3 out of a possible 21 points on the road and the Rochester Rhinos during the US Open Cup.

Above all, it makes me ask this question? When did DC last beat a quality opponent in a must-win game?  Looking back over the past few MLS Playoffs, we find the following:

1)DC didn’t show up until the 2nd half of the return leg of last year’s playoffs opener and lost in the first round to Chicago.

2)The preceding year they fell AT HOME to a Revolution side that DC had long past on their way to the Supporter’s Shield.

3) In 2005, they lost 4-0 AT HOME in the 2nd leg against Chicago and lost in the first round.

Yes, I suppose you could count the 2nd leg win over RBNY in 2006 but c’mon. RBNY's playoff record is ridiculous.  No team with any self esteem props themselves up against Red Bull New York.

Internationally, DC hasn't made the final of a tournament since they won the Champions Cup in 1998 at home. Often times, they’ve eked out results at home, only to lose away and get eliminated. (2005 and 2007) This year’s Champions Cup was no different, and now they’re basically out of the SuperLiga as well.  Was their last trophy really almost four years ago?

DC is a side with too much quality and experience to consistently roll-over in must-win games.  These slow starts and frantic finishes, as if calling upon the ghosts of 1996 and 2004, won't get it done against quality teams.

The mark of a good side is to win the games you’re supposed to win and get results in the ones you’re not.  DC had excellent opportunities to make a bold statement domestically and internationally and “didn’t do their job.” For a club the prides itself on its eleven trophies, they need to demonstrate their abilities in big time games or resign themselves to more of the same. It's really that simple. 

Then again, this is just the opinion of One Grown Man, giving a standing ovation to One Claudio Reyna.

Andrew Dixon is a soccer writer based in Miami and a weekly columnist for USSoccerPlayers.  Contact him at: golnoir@golnoir.net