For the second consecutive season, a slow start to MLS play has left D.C. United languishing in the Eastern Conference basement after four matches, pondering the taxing effects of international play and wondering how to right the ship.
After United's jaded display in last week's 2-1 loss to the Columbus Crew, the coaching staff gathered the team for a heart-to-heart discussion to clear the air before the group parted ways for a rare weekend off -- one of the few favors granted by what has been an unyielding schedule thus far in 2008.
"We had a little meeting on Friday, the day after the last game, and sorted some things out," said midfielder Clyde Simms. "We decided as a whole to rededicate ourselves to good old-fashioned hard work. We know we have the skills and the players to get the job done, so we've just got to get back to the basics, really."
For his part, head coach Tom Soehn spent the weekend perusing game film and has eagerly sought to make the most of the normal practice week that CONCACAF Champions' Cup involvement has denied his squad.
"We haven't had a real quality training session in -- how many games did we have in 20 days? I'm not sure that we had one session to work on things," he said. "You end up having recovery days, travel days [instead]. So this is the first chance we've had to work on things. Through a course of a six-game stretch we developed some bad habits that we have to straighten out."
D.C. has built several years of success on crisp possession and swift counterattacking, keyed by aggressive defensive pressure all over the field -- but whether due to tired legs, wandering minds or ragged chemistry, the Black-and-Red have been deficient in all three areas lately.
"As a team we're too easy to play against. I looked at the way we played against Pachuca, we won a lot of balls high, and when you do that, you create a lot more opportunities," said Soehn. "The fact that we're getting stretched and not defending well as a unit, if we do a better job there, we're going to create more opportunities and catch them with numbers down. So it's all a combination of things."
With last year's leading scorer Luciano Emilio out of form and captain Jaime Moreno still working his way back to full speed after a hamstring injury, the front office has given the front line a much-needed dose of speed and strength with the signing of Liberian international Francis Doe. The former New York Red Bulls striker faces a stiff fight for playing time but his qualities give Soehn new options in the search for a winning formula up top.
"In the time that we've had him, he's given us a different dimension than some of the other guys we have," said Soehn. "He's dynamic with his pace, holds the ball well and he's finished [well] so far. On that side, you like adding a piece that you don't have and you want to see what he turns into, having him in our system for a while."
Washington is the latest destination in a uniquely nomadic career which has now taken Doe from west Africa to the Mediterranean -- where he experienced the bright lights of the UEFA Cup with Greek up-and-comers Atromitos -- and on to stints with three clubs at two levels in the U.S. system. The compact, muscular frontrunner is waiting on visa paperwork to be finalized and doesn't expect to be available for Saturday's match against Real Salt Lake, but will likely make the trip to Colorado next week.
"It's a good club, and I'm happy to join," said Doe on Tuesday. "I think I can help the team in goalscoring too. ... It's a challenge in getting on the field. But I think when I work hard, I can get in the first 11."
But Soehn was careful to offer support to the struggling Emilio, who has looked off the pace compared to his breakout success last season.
"As far as Luciano's sake, I think he's fighting the game a little bit," said the second-year boss. "He wants to score so bad. But it'll come, and when it does come, we have the confidence in him that we did last year, that they're going to come in bunches. So we just have to make sure that we're harder to play against and the rest will fall into place."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
