Will Hamdi Salihi & Branko Boskovic Return For D.C. United Vs. Vancouver Whitecaps?

Two weeks, two conference champions, two losses. But you can take some small solace that 8 out of the 10 Eastern Conference teams have either 1 point or 0 points.

This weekend, D.C. United is going up against Vancouver Whitecaps, who have two wins to their credit this season. However, unlike United, Vancouver has played two of the worst teams in the league: the Montreal Impact and Chivas USA. But confidence is confidence, and Vancouver will have plenty while United won't have much. There are a lot of options, especially in the attack, for D.C. United this week, and many of you have voiced your opinions; after the jump, you can see mine.

Last week's roster experimentation seemed to me to be a hasty switch from the opening game, and I think we will see a lineup that reverts more to that group. As we said during our un-commentary, Hamdi Salihi would have put the chances that Maicon Santos put into orbit at least on frame. He will be back in the starting lineup, alongside Dwayne DeRosario.

Branko Boskovic and Marcelo Saragosa formed a more efficient central pairing, Korb-induced turnover aside, and their play led to United's only goal. After Marcelo Sarvas' goal, the ball comes to Boskovic, who hits a nifty pass with the outside of his left foot through traffic to get it to Maicon Santos. Santos is unable to hold the ball up under pressure and hits a bad pass for a turnover, which Saragosa recovers; he puts in a great through ball to Nick DeLeon, and there's the goal. All of this is to say that we should give Boskovic and Saragosa a full game together.

The two wing players pose the toughest choice for Ben Olsen; however, I think that his choices will be Chris Pontius and Danny Cruz, with Nick DeLeon being the first sub off the bench. Pontius and Boskovic were only on the field for 13 minutes together; I would like to see what they could do for a full game, especially as both players get back to full game speed.

The second toughest choice is left back. Chris Korb got forward well and was mostly solid defensively, but his crosses were poor and his bad pass gave the Galaxy their second goal. Daniel Woolard gives very little going forward, but I think he is the better defensive option right now, so I expect him back in the lineup (provided he isn't injured).

With this lineup, the subs should consist of Nick DeLeon, Chris Korb, Dejan Jakovic, Josh Wolff, Lance Rozeboom, Stephen King, and Andrew Dykstra. What are the lineups that you want to see, and what are the lineups that you think Olsen will actually put out there?