GameThread: D.C. United At New England Revolution
by Martin Shatzer on Aug 7, 2025 6:00 PM EDT
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PrintD.C. United's season hangs in the balance. After switching head coaches earlier this week, Team President Kevin Payne set one of our three goals for the rest of the season as winning this game. No pressure, right? The New England Revolution aren't too far ahead of United in the standings, and a win tonight on the road would go a long way towards United NOT finishing in last place in the league.
Game Time: 7:30 PM Eastern
Television: Comcast SportsNet
Projected Starting Lineup: We talked earlier this morning about several lineup decisions facing Ben Olsen and the rest of the coaching staff. The good news is that all of our forwards and attacking midfielders are healthy, maybe for the first time all season. Look for either Santino Quaranta or Chris Pontius to move up top next to Pablo Hernandez. We also think we'll see Carey Talley and Stephen King getting starts tonight, but it's really tough to predict who our starting goalkeeper will be tonight. Troy Perkins or Bill Hamid? But then again, if United can't score a goal or two, it might not even matter.
This is your place for pre-game, in-game, and post-game thoughts.
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Lineups:
R to L
DCU (442): Hamid; McTavish, Talley, James, Burch; Najar, King, Boskovic, Quaranta; Hernandez, Pontius
Bench: Perkins, Rice, Zayner, Morsink, Moreno, Allsopp, Cristman
Revs (442): Reis; Osei, Barnes, Gibbs, Tierney; Nyassi, Phelan, Joseph, Smith; Mansally, Schilawski
Their bench isn’t listed, but looking at their injury list and their roster, it would appear to be Shuttleworth, Murray, Sinovic, Niouky, Linck, and Stolica, with Colaluca listed as questionable.
by ChestRockwell on Aug 7, 2025 7:06 PM EDT reply actions
So how will you guys react if we lose tonight?
A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.
by Jake Shapiro on Aug 7, 2025 7:09 PM EDT reply actions
Won't change much for me
We lose all the time. I’m getting desensitized.
To me, the important thing is that we play well. Yes, we should be able to take advantage of fate handing us the Revs when they’re all beat up and tired, but what will be more important long-term is seeing a group on the field that wants to fight for the right to be a DCU player in 2012. And really, they should be worried not only about making it here, but keeping themselves in MLS period. If you can’t make the cut on this United team, you should start planning your spring around trials in Rochester, Minnesota, and the other lower-division cities.
by ChestRockwell on Aug 7, 2025 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Already writing off 2011?
A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.
by Jake Shapiro on Aug 7, 2025 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Presuming Chest is referring to the Vancouver/Portland/Montreal expansion upcoming.
It takes...something? Anything?!?
by Bald Pollack on Aug 7, 2025 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Just a typo
Damn insomnia. My fine motor skills are degrading to the point that my notes on the game look even more like Sanskrit than normal.
by ChestRockwell on Aug 7, 2025 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Losing 3-2 wouldn't upset me too much
This is an aggressive lineup without a true defensive midfielder. And I don’t have a whole lot of faith in Talley either
I just don’t want to see another goddamn shutout. That’s all I ask.
Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.
by Martin Shatzer on Aug 7, 2025 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions
So uh. Yeah. FML.
A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.
by Jake Shapiro on Aug 7, 2025 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Neither team doing much so far
But at least we haven’t given up an early goal…
Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.
by Martin Shatzer on Aug 7, 2025 7:49 PM EDT reply actions
Great header. We’ve been improving on crosses.
A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.
by Jake Shapiro on Aug 7, 2025 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions
The fouls are adding up, but I’m okay with the aggressiveness. It’s nice to see some energy for a change.
A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.
by Jake Shapiro on Aug 7, 2025 7:53 PM EDT reply actions
Players are falling down everywhere
Field looks to be in terrible condition
Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.
by Martin Shatzer on Aug 7, 2025 8:04 PM EDT reply actions
Maybe related, but Terry Vaughn is in Terry Vaughn condition.
It takes...something? Anything?!?
by Bald Pollack on Aug 7, 2025 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Failing to give Gibbs that 2nd yellow in 53rd minute was inexcusable
That was the worst tackle of the entire game. If Vaughn saw that it was a foul, he had to see that it fully deserved to be a 2nd yellow. I can’t help but think we break the Revs down if they lose a defender at that point.
by ChestRockwell on Aug 7, 2025 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Saw a woman in Philly wearing a Revs jersey the other day. Made me realize how ugly their jerseys truly are. The worst in MLS.
A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.
by Jake Shapiro on Aug 7, 2025 8:14 PM EDT reply actions
I've been working at one of the Smithsonian museums, and I've seen a lot of MLS jerseys over the past month
Not necessarily a lot in quantity, but a great diversity of teams. I’ve seen the Sounders, the Union, a Columbus Crew jersey, and even an FC Dallas shirt. And yes, even a couple United jerseys. The great part is, they’ve been kids that have been wearing them. Soccer fans from all over that are growing up with an MLS team as their favorite soccer team. Not someone who likes Liverpool or Barcelona, but settles for watching whatever American team is near by. It makes me really happy and optimistic about the future of the league that I love.
I really wish United would give me some more reasons to be optimistic.
by Brendanukkah on Aug 7, 2025 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions
You’re completely right, and the fact that our league is growing so much just makes me even more depressed that DCU is so dismal while it’s all going on.
A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.
by Jake Shapiro on Aug 7, 2025 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions
New England playing back-to-back games against teams with Volkswagen on their jerseys
What? Are they scrimmaging Portsmouth tomorrow?
Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.
by Martin Shatzer on Aug 7, 2025 8:17 PM EDT reply actions
Sigh. And I thought we were playing so well.
A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.
by Jake Shapiro on Aug 7, 2025 8:20 PM EDT reply actions
That was a downer.
They actually weren’t playing too badly; not marking was death (not sure if Hamid should’ve handled that).
Not sure if I agree with the call that led directly to the goal, for that matter.
Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.
by Chris Pendley on Aug 7, 2025 8:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Goal analysis
It was a dumb foul to give away, but it’s a free kick from the center circle. Boskovic never properly marked Phelan, and in fact wasn’t even looking at him most of the time. Boskovic was our best player apart from that, but when you can’t score goals, you have to make sure you don’t concede easily.
As for Hamid, the ball was too far away for him to get to. Unlike his shaky early play (2 trips into no man’s land; got lucky both times because we got a body into the attacker heading the ball, forcing them to loop headers wide), this was the right decision. You’ve got to trust your teammates, as Eric Cantona said, and on this play Boskovic let the other 10 guys down.
by ChestRockwell on Aug 7, 2025 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions
D.C. United is the Montreal Canadiens of MLS. They’ve won more championships than anyone else, but that was a long time ago and now they’re mediocre, trying to find pride simply in the logo on their chest.
A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.
by Jake Shapiro on Aug 7, 2025 8:38 PM EDT reply actions
Gibbs should probably be off right now.
Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.
by Chris Pendley on Aug 7, 2025 8:48 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
D.C. United leads the league in allowing opposing goalkeepers to make easy saves
Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.
by Martin Shatzer on Aug 7, 2025 8:52 PM EDT reply actions
They're at least getting in position now.
But close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. It looks like DC may get one, but how often have we said that?
Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.
by Chris Pendley on Aug 7, 2025 8:59 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
4-3-3?
Be still, my heart.
Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.
by Chris Pendley on Aug 7, 2025 9:03 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
And as soon as I say that
Pontius drops back to midfield.
Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.
by Chris Pendley on Aug 7, 2025 9:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Looked like he may have been busted open.
It takes...something? Anything?!?
by Bald Pollack on Aug 7, 2025 9:05 PM EDT reply actions
Or not. Meh.
It takes...something? Anything?!?
by Bald Pollack on Aug 7, 2025 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions
And now it's starting to feel like every other game this season.
Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.
by Chris Pendley on Aug 7, 2025 9:15 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
One good chance on the shot by King
but not many dangerous chances from DC.
by Nevtelen on Aug 7, 2025 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Cristman's botched header was a much better chance.
There were a few others in there, too.
Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.
by Chris Pendley on Aug 7, 2025 9:27 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yah, but those were maybe the one 2
you might feel had a real chance during the build-up.
by Nevtelen on Aug 7, 2025 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions
That was the goal
If we were going to score, that was going to be it. Cristman makes his money in part because of his aerial ability, so that miss is particularly aggravating.
by ChestRockwell on Aug 7, 2025 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey, at least they didn’t give in in the second half, but they did that (albeit sporadically) under Onalfo as well. It doesn’t get easier against Dallas next week, home or not.
It takes...something? Anything?!?
by Bald Pollack on Aug 7, 2025 9:33 PM EDT reply actions
Are we to the point in the season
where we’re happy they tried? Sadly, participation ribbons aren’t worth points. I mean, I’m glad they didn’t just pack it in and concede a late goal (or two), but that should be the baseline, not an improvement.
Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.
by Chris Pendley on Aug 7, 2025 9:42 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Hey, I agree that we should be past “points for effort,” for the meme Payne was beating into the ground was to “play for the shirt,” and they play with similar results no matter who the coach is, the problem is in the acquisition of talent, no?
It takes...something? Anything?!?
by Bald Pollack on Aug 7, 2025 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions
It seems glaringly obvious
You just hope the people that actually have to pick up on that fact do so.
The guys Olsen chose did play for the shirt, but they lacked in their attention to detail a few times and came up short in the finishing department. I think it was a completely fair summation of this team. We’re capable of some good movements forward, and we’re not shambolic in the back, but when games are on the line we lack that extra quality at both ends that gets you wins.
by ChestRockwell on Aug 7, 2025 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Help Wanted: Goal Scorer
That’s really the bottom line: we don’t have one. Hernandez plays more like a withdrawn forward, and Christman is a clumsy bull in the china shop.
by dc army on Aug 7, 2025 9:58 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
man...
this sucks..
Thought DC really had some good chances. NE was playing pretty thuggish and we were containing their speed. Thought for sure Pontius would put that one chance in. Nice stuff from Hernandez and Bosko… Najar had some good, active play… but the song remains the same… Actually thought Burch did well, team has gotten so bad I had forgotten some of the quality that he brings… even my normal whipping boy Talley had a good game.
I do wonder why we can’t scout a Nyarsi or Mansali??
by Irrlicht on Aug 7, 2025 10:24 PM EDT reply actions
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