Quarter Volley

The Primer is back after a bit of an absence. We’re dropping in just in time for the third DC United match in nine days, a difficult stretch to be sure. Tonight the team travels to face New England, a team that has won three in a row and is 6-1-1 with a +9 goal differential in all matches not against the Chicago Fire.

I said on Monday that DC United need four points from the next three matches else we should be looking for a new coach very soon. I think a 1-1-1 record over the next three (@NE, Hou, @Chi) would be a big step in the right direction for this team, but the question is as to from where three of those four points will come. Do I expect DC to beat New England on the road? Not the way this team has played this year. To be frank, I’m hoping this is the draw.

The Revs are a tough nut to crack for the most part. Excepting the 4-0 and 3-0 scorelines in the two matches against Chicago, New England has not allowed more than one goal in a contest to anyone. In fact, they’ve only allowed four goals in their other 8 non-Chicago matches. That isn’t to say that Chicago’s the only team that can beat them, but it’s hard to weigh what a 4-0 or 3-0 loss tells me about a team, especially when they played with 10 men for 83 minutes of one of those losses. An early New England goal might just spell doom for United, and I’ll be chewing my fingernails from goal to whistle if United scores first.

I’d be more than happy to split the points tonight. I don’t care who starts at forward or on the flanks, or how many defenders we utilize. Just find a way. It won’t be easy, but find a way.