MLS Game #16: Houston 2 - DCU 0
07/24/2008 12:08 AM by Kyle Sheldon
As if losing didn't hurt enough, we had to wait almost three hours to do it. We'll have just a few post-game quotes before departing RFK, hopefully before 1:30 a.m. Ugh.
The team has the weekend off, before their August 2 home match against the Kansas City Wizards. In addition to all of the team's current injuries, Tom Soehn will now be without Gonzalo Martinez who got his second yellow card late in the game and will have to serve a one game suspension.
UPDATE #74 (1:11 a.m.): Post-game quotes from both sides below. Sheldon out.
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH TOM SOEHN
On the three hour delay
Houston wanted it [called] off but we wanted to play so we wanted to wait as long as we could or as long as they’d allow us to.
On the team’s play
As a whole it was bad. We’re going to take this time – we’ve got a 10-day stretch – and we’re going to make some changes. We’re going to make our team stronger and we’re going to get back to the basics. We’re going to work our t-shirts off to make sure there are no excuses about fitness or [anything]. They outworked us today, period, all over the field.
On potential roster changes
We’re going to bring in some reinforcements. People that I think are going to make us better in the spots of the field that we need to get better at.
On getting back together after the delay
They came out motivated – in the second half, they came out with a little bit of energy, a little bit of light. After the rain delay we came out like we did in the first half, no energy, no light. And to [Houston’s] credit, they did and they punished us over and over again.
On the recent circumstances
With the lights going out and the stadium not having electricity, it’s been a little strange but right now we have a ten-day period of break. For a couple of days I’ll give them off but then we’re going to get back to work, make sure we focus on the things we need to focus on.
On whether he was satisfied with anything
I wasn’t satisfied with anyone’s performance – not from my team.
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER CLYDE SIMMS
On the team’s play after the three hour delay
We didn’t play the way we should have given the conditions. We still played short too much during that time and we should have dumped more balls forward. I don’t know if it’s tired legs also, but we need a break right now.
On what the team did during the delay
[We were] Sitting around, trying to eat a little bit of food and keep energy up, but basically just sitting around waiting because you never know when you’re going to go back on.
On the team’s mindset
You know, we’re frustrated. We can’t put our finger on what it is right now, but I think the break is going to help us – it’s coming at a good time. We’ll come back to work next week and try to fix things.
On Tom Soehn potentially making changes to the lineup
He’s got to do what’s got to do. Whenever a team isn’t doing well, obviously there’s got to be changes made but only time will tell what those changes will be.
D.C. UNITED GOALKEEPER ZACH WELLS
On the team
I thought before the [three hour] break started, I thought we came out a lot better in the second half, we put a lot more pressure on them and had the ball a lot in their end. Unfortunately, I feel like – with the Chivas game as well – the lights going out kind of worked against us again. It’s hard to get back up after three hours of waiting. I’m not going to make excuses, but it did break our momentum a little bit.
On the team’s mindset
Tommy [Soehn] said we just lost four in a row, which is the first time it’s happened in D.C. United history, so no one is really happy about that one. We’re not pleased with the way we started the second half of the season. We came out and wanted to get some more points and climb the ladder and just got out-competed I guess.
HOUSTON DYNAMO FORWARD BRIAN CHING
On the game
I don’t think I’ve ever been playing at midnight. Crazy, crazy game but glad its over, glad we got the three points we really needed to move up in the standings in the west.
On playing after the delay
I think the hardest part when you get back out there is to be mentally in the game because you’re so jacked up and jazzed up the first time around that you kind of come down after that. To get back in there - with both teams I think you see it took a little while to get back into it. It was unfortunate but like I said we’re just happy to come out with three points.
HOUSTON DYNAMO HEAD COACH DOMINIC KINNEAR
On this game
It’s been a weird date on the schedule. Anything that could have happened, happened. The lightning, rain, the power outage…[I’m] just glad that we got it in and even more glad that we got the win.
On keeping focused
I think you just let the guys be themselves. We just sat in here, gave them updates but nothing too specific until they said we’re starting to play. Then we went through a team talk but guys are not all the same, they get ready in different ways so you let them be themselves.
Comments
10 Comments
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07/24/2008 12:51 AM by Konoha7
This sucks . . . but we set a new record
Wells was our best player tonight
07/24/2008 1:35 AM by Ohboyohboy
I thought McTavish played well-- he was my MoTM.
07/24/2008 10:25 AM by K2
Wells definitely earned his stripes last night.
I think Martinez got a second yellow card, which == red/suspension from next game. Either way, not a good thing... he's my favorite player so far.
07/24/2008 11:10 AM by dogboy
Fortunately, I did not see this debacle. Though, I did notice during the SuperLiga games that DC started slipping again and looked like the same team from the begining of the season.
Hopefully this 10 day break will give the team a rest they need. Forget about the past, play your game. DC United is a far superior team that has been shown.
Though, I do believe in them and I do believe that they will turn it around.
07/24/2008 11:26 AM by Kyle Sheldon
Good call, K2 - I'm sure you'll give me a break, given that I wrote that at 1 o'clock in the morning, right?
Fixed.
07/24/2008 11:57 AM by K2
Of course!
To give you credit, I check the Behind the Badge blog before the MLS site every day. ;)
07/24/2008 12:15 PM by Anthony
Kyle,
Thanks for keeping the updates coming last night. Although I was dry at home it was still frustrating. Direct Kick just goes to a wallpaper with little or no information explaining what is going on. Radio told me nothing either. I would have gone crazy without you there!!
On another note since Comcast did not broadcast I had to watch the Houston Ch55 feed. The one guy is the Dynamo Youth Soccer director, bias understandable. The other guy was a complete @$$ #&^%. It made me miss the days before LCD where I could throw stuff at the screen! What a complete jerk. He actually complained about the rain and the pitch and a fan wearing a pirate outfit and RFK. Uh excuse me, Houston is getting hurricane rains and wind, they play in a college stadium and they have cheerleaders. Just keep your mouth shut.
Ok, I feel better...thanks!!
Anthony
07/24/2008 11:55 PM by Kyle Sheldon
You're very welcome, Anthony - glad I was able to keep you in the loop. Can't say I had too much else to do for the nearly three hours we were sitting in the press box!
07/24/2008 11:56 PM by Kyle Sheldon
Thanks for giving me a break and visiting, K2!
07/25/2008 5:07 PM by La Barra Blonde
First off, I was there until the bitter, soggy end. Oh well. At least I have some great war stories. If you're bored during the next rain delay, feel free to stop by the Barra. We'll keep you entertained. :)
Secondly, on the quotation from Wells: "Tommy [Soehn] said we just lost four in a row, which is the first time it’s happened in D.C. United history, so no one is really happy about that one."
While it's true that we just lost 4 games in a row, 3 of those were Superliga games using mainly reserves which weren't a high priority for us. Even Tommy looked like he didn't care during the Houston SL game, so why should he expect the team to care, let alone win?
We've had some other records this season as well. First time we've knocked out Chicago in a cup game. We won against Chicago in their house as well. When was the last time we've done that? And while not a record or first, we did stomp LA Galaxy and Donovan, who is currently the MLS top scorer.
I feel bad for the guys because like Simms said, they're frustrated. I hope they can bounce back and that Tommy doesn't shake things up so much that he kills what we already have.