DC UNITED v. SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. There comes a time in a man’s life when he realises: Oh fuck, there are three MLS league matches scheduled in just eight days! The production cycles for West Sound of Mind are about to overlap, ya’ll. Just sayin’.

Time to visit the District of Columbia and the Potomac Avenue ground, in the other Washington, to visit dear friends La Barra Brava and their football team, collectively known as DC United. Good times. I hope we win 0:10.

What: MLS league match, DC United v. Seattle Sounders FC.

Where: Potomac Avenue, District of Columbia.

When: 4:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, Saturday 27 April 2024 CE.

At Stake: Well, here is where it gets complicated. So we’re still in 26th place in the league, which is a miracle given Ramy Touchan’s on-the-job training ludicrous display last week. Right. Re-focus. With a victory over DC United we could rise as high as 23rd place. Of course it’s never as simple as just beating your opponent, because league football.

In the scenario where we rise to 23rd with a victory, Orlando (v.TOR) and Chicago (v.ATL) must be defeated, and Nashville (v.SJ) must do no better than a draw.

Should we be defeated by DC United, we could drop as low as 28th place if Dallas (v.HOU) and New England (v.MIA) win. We can’t drop to 29th and bottom, because even if bottom-of-table San Jose beats Nashville, their -11 goal difference is so horrible that we can’t sink beneath them no matter the result of our match…this weekend.

Where to Watch: MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

Where to Listen: 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM.

Seems like it was only yesterday that seven Sounders’ supporters were assaulted by DC United supporters in September of 2019, and were given an unprovoked, old-fashioned British public school kicking. I bring this up only because the memory of the average citizen in this country seems to last only three days, or in extreme cases, the length of a 24-hour “news” cycle.

As supporters of Sounders FC, we don’t really need a good reason to make noise. It’s all about the football, and our Green Fam, and drinking, chanting, and singing. However, for this match, I very much wish that it were being played at Royal Brougham Park, and that ours would generate a level of noise pointing out how that nonsense that went down in DC is vile and unacceptable, but that will have to wait until another time.

If you’re headed to the Potomac Avenue ground, stick together and be vigilant. Tie your scarves proper, and look out for each other. We, ECS and its sub-groups, are non-violent as a rule for a reason. That reason is it elevates ours above the dreck firms of clubs like Millwall and West Ham whose exploits led to sensationalising football-related violence on the TV news in the 80’s to the point where ‘football hooligan’ became a well-known term even on our side of the Pond.

So, even in the face of this level of fuckery, we do what we always do. Support our Boys in Green. We fights to the finishk (metaphorically) ‘cause we eats our spinichk, all due apologies to the creators of Popeye for IP infringement. I hope our numbers at the match on Sat are legion. If you can’t get there from here, as many of us will be, in The Evergreen, round up your mates for pubs and dwellings for stories and tellings, houses and flats for pints and cats, and sometimes boats and ships for pie and chips.

It’s Sounders football on a Saturday night in our nation’s capitol. WHEN IT’S US VERSUS THEM / YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON ME! GO ON YOU SOUNDERS!!! GET IN!!! Also: DC Metro Police…do your fucking jobs properly.

Before kick-off, please join me in the auld toast: “TO THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS FOOTBALL CLUB…AND VICTORY!!!”

When was the last time we played this lot………oh yeah, 2019.

The Good News

DC United’s home record (2-0-2) is nearly as crap as our away record (0-1-3), so that’s something.

DC United are the more statistically likely to concede two goals.

The squad are mostly healthy, with only de la Vega, Rodrigues, and Baker-Whiting still on injury list.

Like us, DC United have only one victory in their past five matches (1-2-2). So it looks, on paper, like a level match-up.

An article in The Athletic reported that, using the metric they created called added goals, the Sounders are playing some of the best football in the league on both sides of the ball.

DC United haven’t spent a whole heap on players, spending under €2M to acquire Herrera, Tubbs, and Brazilian youth international Pirani.

Both clubs have played Montreal this season, yet we absolutely obliterated them 5:0, whereas DC United only managed a 1:0 victory.

The Bad News

Remy Touchan’s crap refereeing job saw Jackson Ragen sent off for…well, essentially nothing, though Alex’ rash tackle from behind probably deserved a sending off. No matter how you slice it, both players will serve a one-match ban on Sat. We can afford to lose neither of them. So that falls into the horrible category.

When discussing US Open Cup ties, MLS clubs piss and moan about fixture clutter. When fixture clutter is caused by Leagues Cup, MLS seems more concerned with gate revenues to be fair. Funny how that works.

With two-day and four-day turnarounds and three matches in eight days starting with the DC United fixture, actual rotation in the team will be necessary. Not some piecemeal nonsense where the same 13 footballers play 30 minutes one match, 60 in another like you’re punching a time clock in and out at the firm. That’s rubbish and it won’t work. It hasn’t worked in the past, and it won’t work over this stretch of fixtures.

Jordo’s Da retired as the Sounders FC’s team physician. Well done on 18 years, Dr. Michael Morris. Looks like even in our medical department, it’s next doctor up.

We’re playing well, which is good, but the ball isn’t going into the opposition goal, and that’s most definitely bad.

Christian Benteke is a goal-machine. Our centre-halves will have their hands full, as the 33 year-old Belgian international has scored 150 goals in his career, and last played for Crystal Palace before making the move to Maryland.

Pedro de la Vega has re-injured his hamstring in training this week. He was nearly re-integrated into full training, so it must be a crushing blow for the young Argentinian, on top of political, economic, and social unrest in his home country. De la Vega seems like he is meant to play a vital role in the re-structuring of the squad, as some of our players are getting on. We hope you get well soon, lad. Health first, then football. We’re pulling for you.

Sounders FC and Ecuador defender Xavier Arreaga was sold this week to New England Revolution for up to €70,000 and an International player slot for next season. I debate the wisdom of selling one of our better center-halves just before a stretch of three matches in eight days, and with Ragen serving a one-match ban for Saturday night. Gotta wonder what happened there, and why he was sold for a fraction of his estimated transfer value.

The Side I Would Select

Right. So three matches in eight days. This is how I work that equation: There are three opponents in this order: DC United, Philadelphia, and LA Galaxy. There is a two-day turnaround between DC and Philly and a four-day turnaround between Philly and LA Galaxy. DC is the weakest of the three opponents. This is an excellent opportunity to show what our youngers can do, and whether they can be relied upon in crucial situations. So I’d field a younger team for Saturday, then the first-choice players for the next two matches, as that four-day turnaround should be enough rest.

Here’s the nuts and bolts of it: Baker is young enough to play two matches in four days and probably not get hurt or wear down too much. Baker also has played sparingly so far, and is likely raring to go, and brings a reasonably high level of quality with him onto the pitch. So I feel Baker at right-back against DC and playing for Nouhou against Philadelphia, though he would have to be brought on as a substitute, as the Philadelphia match is a resumption of the match abandoned due to weather, so it has to be the same players that were on the pitch that day. Chu can play left-forward against DC, and Morris can play the next two matches. Also, no older players or players with niggling injuries in the team, as they need the rest anyway, and probably would risk injury if pressed into two matches on a two-day turnaround. If we’re not confident in our squad players to have them in the team when need be, then they should be either sold or placed on loan. With this in mind, this would be my selection:

GK     Thomas

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Hawkins

RCH    Bell

RB     Baker

LDM    Leyva

RDM    Kitahara

LF     Chu

CAM   Atencio

RF     Rothrock

CF     Musovski

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

The Gaffer knows only one gear, and that gear is play the most experienced players he has, even if it runs them straight onto the trainer’s table. He will attempt to schedule it so maybe as many as 13 players will share minutes, playing a total of 90 minutes somehow, or close to it, for all three matches. This is not sensible man-management in my estimation; it is a strategy better suited for drawing up a work schedule at the local supermarket.

This is the main contention I have with the way the Manager selects the team. He has no problem playing a side of mostly young players for US Open Cup ties, and claims it’s a strong team, but then those same players struggle to get in the team for a league match, even when it’s vital they do so to spell injured or fatigued players. To be completely fair, the Gaffer may be coming around a bit, as Kitahara has finally got his debut after years in the Sounders system. That said, it’s a hard go for our youngers, and some have chosen to leave the club rather than moulder on the bench or in the reserves. It’s bloody hard to mold yourself into a professional footballer if you can’t get any minutes in the first team.

If Nathan can’t pass a late fitness test, I have no idea what Schmetzer will do. Maybe play Jonathan Bell at left-centre-half?

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Nathan

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Baker

LDM    Joao Paulo

RDM   Atencio

LF     Morris

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Cristian

CF     Ruidiaz

Intangibles

The referee for Saturday night’s match will be Rosendo Mendoza. Sounders FC’s record in matches refereed by Mendoza is 3-1-1. DC United’s record in matches refereed by Mendoza is 1-3-2.

I suppose it’s possible jet lag could be a factor.

General notes on personnel

Sounders FC transfers OUT:

Arreaga (New England Revolution) 2025 GAM up to €70,000 & 2025 International player slot

DC transfers IN:

Herrera (CF Montreal) €464,000

Stroud (St. Louis City SC) undisclosed fee

Bartlett (St. Louis City SC) undisclosed fee

Dobbelaere (Seattle Sounders FC) free

Tubbs (Atlanta United FC) €114,000

Pirani (Santos FC) €1.2M

Murrell - draft

Crockford - draft

McVey (Inter Miami CF) undisclosed fee

Peltola (HJK Helsinki) free

Antley (Tampa Bay Rowdies) undisclosed fee

DC transfers OUT:

Asad (FC Cincinnati) free

Davis (Kosice) free

Fajardo (Independiente de La Chorrera) free

Greene (Columbus Crew SC Reserves) free

Hines-Ike (Austin FC) free

Hurtado - released

Najar (CD Olimpia) free

Robertha - released

Samake (Las Vegas Lights) free

Pines (Barnsley) free

Williams (Atlanta United FC) MLS re-entry draft

Ruan (CF Montreal) undisclosed fee

Durkin (St. Louis City SC) €278,000

Sargis (Las Vegas Lights) loan 

Garay (El Paso Locomotive) loan

Comparison against common opponents

DC 1:0 MTL
SEA 5:0 MTL

(against MTL: DC 1-0-0 +1, SEA 1-0-0 +5) edge SEA

Know Thine Enemy

DC United as they lined up in their 2:0 defeat at Seaver Way. DC’s shape seems to have been 3-1-4-2, which is unusual enough to mention with Hopkins playing as a stopper centre-half or sweeper in front of the back three, though he is listed as a midfielder at his club page, and as a centre-forward on Transfermarkt. Super fun.

GOALKEEPER

Alex Bono, 30

United States (1/0)

Notable Clubs: Toronto FC (130/0), DC United (19/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €500,000

Notes: Developed by Empire United. Played his university football for Syracuse (59/0). Won an MLS League and Cup double in 2017 and won four Canadian Championships with Toronto FC.

DEFENCE

Matai Akinmboni, 17

United States

Notable Clubs: DC United (7/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €500,000

Notes: Developed by DC United.

Lucas Bartlett, 26

United States

Notable Clubs: St. Louis City SC (14/0), DC United (9/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €600,000

Notes: Developed by Sporting Kansas City. Played his university football for Loyola (Chicago) (18/0), Drake (31/3), and St. Johns (20/5). 

Christopher McVey, 27

Sweden

Notable Clubs: Elfsborg (32/0), Inter Miami CF (50/1), DC United (9/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €600,000

Notes: Developed by Sparsors AIK and Elfsborg. Won a Leagues Cup with Inter Miami CF.

MIDFIELD

Jackson Hopkins, 19

United States

Notable Clubs: DC United (36/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €800,000

Notes: Developed by Virginian Development Academy, DC United, and New York RB.  Has played for United States at youth levels (10/0).

Pedro Santos, 36

Portugal

Notable Clubs: Leixoes (41/5), Vitoria Setubal (28/4), Braga (76/18), Astra Giurgiu (2/1), Rio Ave (14/0), Columbus Crew (155/23), DC United (29/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €300,000

Notes: Developed by Sporting Lisbon, ADCEO, and Casa Pia. Won a Portuguese Cup with Sporting Braga in 2015-16. Won a Romanian Cup with Astra Giurgiu in 2013-14. Won MLS Cup and Campeones Cup with Columbus Crew SC.

Matti Peltola, 21

Finland (7/0)

Notable Clubs: HJK Helsinki (53/2), DC United (8/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €600,000

Notes: Developed by Keimolan Kaiku and HJK Helsinki. Won four Finnish league titles, a Finnish Cup, and a Finnish League Cup with HJK Helsinki. Named to the Veikkausliiga Team of the Year 2023.

Gabriel Pirani, 22

Brazil

Notable Clubs: Santos (51/4), Cuiaba (10/1), Fluminense (15/2), DC United (19/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €3M

Notes: Developed by Santos. Has played for Brazil U23s (5/1). Won Copa Libertadores with Fluminense.

Jared Stroud, 27

United States

Notable Clubs: New York RB (20/0), Austin FC (27/1), St. Louis City SC (31/5), DC United (9/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.2M

Notes: Developed by PDA. Played his university football for Colgate (82/10).

FORWARD

Cristian Dajome, 30

Colombia

Notable Clubs: Bogota FC (65/15), Cucuta Deportivo (17/4), Deportes Tolima (16/2), Atletico Nacional (28/5), Deportivo Pasto (14/2), America de Cali (33/4), Independiente del Valle (27/5), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (91/15), DC United (28/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1M

Notes: Developed by Bogota FC. Won a Colombian Championship, Recopa Sudamericana, and a Copa Libertadores with Atletico Nacional. Won a Copa Sudamericana with Independiente del Valle. Won a Canadian Championship with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Christian Benteke, 33

Belgium (45/18)

Notable Clubs: Genk (47/20), Standard Liege (18/3), Kortrijk (34/14), Mechelen (18/6), Aston Villa (89/42), Liverpool (29/9), Crystal Palace (162/35), DC United (45/21)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Developed by JS Pierreuse, Standard Liege, and Genk. Won a Belgian league title with Standard Liege.

Familiar Faces

DC United goalkeeper Tyler Miller played for the Sounders FC (2/0) and Sounders Reserves (35/0) from 2015-17.

Squads

DC United from:

Bono, Zamudio, Miller, Crockford, Akinmboni, Bartlett, Birnbaum, Herrera, Jeahze, McVey, Peltola, Pedro Santos, Sargis, Tubbs, Fletcher, Garay, Hopkins, Klich, Ku-DiPietro, Gabriel Pirani, Rodriguez, Stroud, Benteke, Dajome, Murrell,

Note: Canouse has been ruled out for Saturdays’ match for an unknown reason, but is not on the injured list. Seriously, your guess is as good as mine.

Sounders FC from:

Frei, Thomas, Baker, Bell, Gomez Andrade, Hawkins, Nathan, Nouhou, Atencio, Baker-Whiting, Joao Paulo, Kitahara, Leyva, Rusnak, Vargas, Chu, Morris, Musovski, Cristian, Rothrock, Ruidiaz, Teves.

Injury List

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

DC United -

OUT: Antley (leg), 

MATCHDAY DECISION: Birnbaum (knee), Ku-DiPietro (hip), Tubbs (thigh).

Sounders FC -

OUT: de la Vega (hamstring), Rodrigues (hamstring).

MATCHDAY DECISION: Baker-Whiting (hamstring), Nathan (hip).

Discipline

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

DC United: No players suspended.

Sounders FC: Ragen and Alex are suspended and are out this match.

Fun Fact

Sounders FC Reserves managed a 0:0 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC Reserves in an MLS Next Pro league match on 21 April at Starfire. Well done holding the line, lads. A clean sheet’s a clean sheet. The Sounders FC Reserves will next face Portland Timbers Reserves at the Morrison Street ground on 10 May. Kick-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PDT. Build a bonfire, lads!