SInce the Open Cup winners get a Champions League birth, I think DC should send out strong(er) squads this year. Realistically, it could be our only chance of qualifying next year barring a stormer through the playoffs. Anyone agree with this or disagree and think there is a better chance in winning MLS Cup or even *gasp* storming back for a 3rd consecutive Supporters' Shield?
Is it even possible to still win the SS? Do we have enough games ahead of us, or points to rack up that it could happen? With that said, i dunno about the playoffs, i wouldnt count too much on winning the MLS cup... not with wells back there. With that said i guess we should try to win this US Open cup.
Just beat the Evil LA Galaxy Sunday first to get to .500, then deal with Tuesday's Open Cup game. Why can't this game be played on Wednesday, what was up with that ?
Personally i would love to win the SUperliga, but this has more importance now because it can win a spot in the CCL right?? Superliga is fun though so we can smash and beat big teams in mexico that have triple or more our salaries.
I like to win everything, but right now the USOC has got to be used to test out the youngsters. Would we rather throw out one of our backup keepers against a USL team or when we are trying to get every point possible?
I think the USOC is the best shot we have to make the CCL in '09. I don't see us winning the SS, MLS cup, and Superliga with the squad we have now. If the FO has changes in mind and they know who they are already getting, then yes, send some youngster for the USOC. however, a few changes and I think we can make a good run in the playoffs. A new keeper, winger and a little depth and we may be able to make something happen in the playoffs... just my $0.02
We need to win this for 3 reasons: 1. It is the only Domestic prize we have never won twice 2. It gets us into CONCACAF for 2009/2010 3. Winning the tournament will send a clear message to the league.
I'd put winning the US Open Cup as a VERY high priority. The fact that we could gain entrance into the CCL if we win it is big, and i'd say start that we should the entire first team if we didn't have a game on Sunday. Every MLS team really needs to go after it this year. It's just THAT important now. (if of course you take the CCL seriously, which I think most teams do)
We are going to be playing Rochester who after a slow start as been on a little bit of a win streak lately. I see nothing wrong with sending in a strong squad but having some backups play the first 45-60 minutes and then have a full strength lineup go the 2nd half-final 30 minutes to get the result if necessary.
I still think we should put importance on the superliga though, how do the dates go between that and the Open cup/opponents in the open cup?
Not if all the other teams field crap rosters for their games. Chicago won this thing last year and I don't think anybody really cared then, why would they care now besides a CCL berth? This tournaments profile has been raised slightly with the injection of that berth this year, but it certainly doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things still. Sit our starters and shoot for the real prizes like the SS, MLS Cup, and CCL.
We won it in 2006, not last year. It's interesting that you consider the Supporters' Shield a real prize but not the USOC. The Fire put a lot of value in the USOC but not the SS. That may go explain why we have four USOC's but only one SS, while you guys have four SS's but only one USOC.
So you think we still have a shot at the SS? What about MLS Cup with Wells in goal? USOC is still the best shot we have at getting back to the CCL next year right now. All we have to do is win 4 games.
Really? By that logic, our 1998 season was an off year. But I am pretty certain that Bruce Arena, Marco Etcheverry, Don Garber, Kevin Payne, Sunil Gulati, and many, many other fairly knowledgeable people would likely regard DC United's 1998 season to be the high-water mark not just for our club, but for the league.
right now this is the only way for us to ensure our way into CCL for next year.......screw a million dollars....play reserves in that. and rest the starters for the regular league matches.
Metroturds will be at UMBC same day as United game. I would love to be at the United game but it's a haul. Any United regulars going to the Crystal Palace game? I'll be there singing" how many trophies have you won"
To really be fair, you've got to admit that Terry screwed us in 1998. Of course, it looked like the futbol gods balanced 1998 out with Meola standing on his head in 2000. Too bad we didn't benefit from the payback! [rant] I really dislike that a defensive/counter team like KC that year was successful in their catenaccio. Of course I really dislike that lalagals were even allowed in the MLS tournament in 2005, which they eventually won making the "championship" ring very, very hollow. I think that's what caused me to thereafter think of MLS Cup as a 3 victory tournament, rather than a league championship. [/rant] GM