The Youth Movement

As the DC United roster of last season was dismantled and retooled it became apparent we were amidst a rebuilding process focused around youth. The foundation of the team came from young players such as Najar, Pontius and Jakovic and was being complimented by Davies, Kitchen and McCarty.

"The motivation of seeing the first team and being a part of the most successful club in this country can really help players develop their potential."

The growth of soccer in the United States has taken a new direction in the previous few years with an emphasis on MLS teams having academies.

It has been reported that Ben Olsen did not want to discuss the officiating in this match. I too would like to take the high road, almost. It is without question that the game was littered with incorrect or questionable calls. Still, United should have done better. This is a tough loss for a team coming from the momentum of an emotional opening week win.

"I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to play again so I promised myself that when I came back I would celebrate every single goal like it was my last."

Alecko Eskandarian brought many emotions to United fans during his time in DC. His career gave both joy, with his 2004 MLS Cup MVP performance, and sadness, as he struggled with lingering effects of his tragic concussion.

The Comeback Kid
From never being able to play soccer again, to debut double delight! Charlie Davies reflects on his immediate impact last night as proof of his long comeback.

What an exciting way to return to the season. United showed a new look and a new attitude to the game. First a few observations followed by player ratings.
Observations:
-You could tell from the very beginning that this team is different from last year.

I love the predictions game! Truth is, as Beau Dure points out,
no one knows anything when it comes to season predictions. Since I accept this truth to be self evident, I have decided to make my predictions with a heavy DC United bias. Thus, let me present the MLS award predictions for the 2011 season with Black and Red colored glasses.

We won the Carolina Challenge Cup and go undefeated in pre-season! What does that mean? Who knows. We won this tournament last year and went from success to disaster as soon as the season began. Nonetheless, I would rather win than lose. Come on real games!

It is that time of year again...the beginning of the MLS season. United has had their share of turnover and one thing can be said with absolute sincerity, things will be different. After a nightmare-ish last season, roster fluctuation should have been expected, but the way the roster has been revamped is more than most could have hoped for.

As we look to understand the type of system United will play under coach Onalfo, it is best to look at the acquisitions being made. At this point, it would appear that we are looking to have attacking wings and a strong defensive middle of the field in order to cover for any ground the wide players will leave exposed.

There have been three things which have puzzled me have forced me to do a little research in order to either substantiate or debunk them. It seems that these stories have reached common knowledge status at this point, but they looked plain fishy to me from the get go. Today I present you with the first story.

For those that are interested, you can also follow the blog through twitter. Account name MRoadarmel.

Hey Steven, myself, as a DC United fan and blogger, and DC United fans are grateful you taking the time to answer some questions. We all appreciate the work you do.
B&R: There are a few reporters who follow United, but you provide the most encompassing coverage, year round. Do you prefer being the big dog on a particular beat, or having a competitive situation with numerous colleagues from other papers?

Hey all, it has been a while since I have posted, but I have a few subjects I want to tackle in the upcoming days regarding the blog. First is to address what we have learned about DC United. One has to think that we are not the completed article yet. We have seen some departures and some additions. But there have been several areas of concern.

For those that may have missed it, here is the current roster situation.
Surprises or interesting bits:
-DiRaimondo is currently under contract.
-Habarugira is not in the plans for the next season. He fit in well to the token young African player brought in late in the season, only to not return in the following season.