D.C. United enter the 2006 MLS Cup Playoffs as shakily as any top seed in league history, having closed the regular season with three consecutive losses to cap a 2-5-4 record since the All-Star Break. Diminishing offensive returns have prompted real concern about the once-unstoppable D.C. attack, the skill and fluidity of which gives the side its true identity.
"We're creating chances," said midfielder Freddy Adu, "we're just not finishing all of them. We don't have to finish all of them. We just need to finish three or four of them. ... We just need to find a way to get back to our first half of the season form."
There's been little sign of the intimidating outfit that did not lose a match from May 6 to July 29, and their recent skid has raised the stakes even further going into Saturday's postseason opener against the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium.
Christian Gomez will be key to United's hopes for resurgence. Just crowned the team's Most Valuable Player, he's also a leading candidate for the league-wide MVP honor and lately his outstanding play has carried the attack almost singlehandedly. The Chicago Fire have enjoyed great success against D.C. by constantly hounding and harassing Gomez, and it would be no surprise to see New York apply the same blueprint against the playmaker.
"Every team has different defensive schemes," said the Argentinean. "We have our own schemes. We just have to counterattack as a team when they're marking me one-on-one. So I'm not really worried about that."
That requires at least one of United's other attackers to take advantage of the resulting time and space. Jaime Moreno is Gomez's natural partner and a proven big-game performer, but may well be closely guarded himself, while Adu and Alecko Eskandarian have been goal-shy of late - and rookie Rod Dyachenko has yet to score in a league match. Of United's last 14 goals, seven have come from Gomez - and two were own goals.
Head coach Peter Nowak maintains that his South American duo has enough to inspire his team's offense.
"We have enough creativity in this team," said the former Polish international on Sunday. "[If we] just rely on Jaime and Christian that they're going to provide this thing, then of course they will. The rest of the team must know what their roles are and must know the jobs they have to do."
Adu provided the final pass on both of Gomez's goals against the Fire, revealing a good understanding between two players who both prefer the playmaking role.
"I'm proud of that fact," said the teenager. "Hopefully I can build on that. When teams try to mark Gomez and Moreno out of games, hopefully I can be a guy to step up and punish them for that."
However, Adu admits that he prefers to float inside from the wing, and Matias Donnet has shown a similar tendency since his midseason arrival from Argentina. With Josh Gros often more mindful of defensive duties, this leaves United lacking the width that allows their skillful combination play to slice through defenses.
On Sunday, the Fire's back line remained extremely compact, setting up along the top of their penalty box and blatantly daring United to use the flanks. That approach led to plenty of D.C. possession but few clear shots, as the intelligent movement and close control of Gomez and Moreno were stifled around the box. The situation called out for Eskandarian's shoot-on-sight policy and his entry in the second half helped open up space, underlining the injury-hampered striker's importance to his team's playoff prospects.
"There still were moments where we were cute with the ball and instead of having a shot from distance we tried to play the one-two, trying to break the defense with short passes," said Nowak afterwards. "Esky tried in the second half and definitely brought us something special, so we have to look how he's going to feel during the week and make a decision on that."
Many higher-seeded playoff teams play conservatively on the road, looking to shut up shop in the back and save their attacking ambitions for the second leg at home. But United undoubtedly recall how this approach backfired in their first-round series against the Fire last year, and even their customary dominance at RFK Stadium has been called into question by two consecutive home losses.
"We have to elevate our level of play as a team, and also individually," said D.C. midfielder Christian Gomez after last week's loss to Chicago. "We have to be ready to win Saturday. There's no other result for us but to get a victory."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
