Sep 9, 20239 min read

DC United vs San Jose Quakes Game Preview

Predicted Lineups:

DC United

Potential Starters: Alex Bono, Brendan Hines-Ike, Steven Birnbaum, Ruan, Pedro Santos, Mateusz Klich, Russell Canouse, Gabriel Pirani, Ted Ku-DiPietro, Christian Dájome's, Christian Benteke

Subs: Luis Zamudio, Donovan Pines, Brendan Hines-Ike, Hayden Sargis, Gaoussou Samaké, Jackson Hopkins, Yamil Asad, Chris Durkin, Eric Hurtado, Nigel Robertha

Captain: Steven Birnbaum

Formation (4-2-3-1)

Injury Report:

Out

Rodriguez (knee)
Jeahze (thigh)
Tyler Miller (Hip)
Derrick Williams

International Call Up:

Eric Davis
Jose Fajardo
Andy Najar

San Jose Quakes

Potential Starters: Daniel, Tanner Beason, Daniel Munie, Rodrigues, Carlos Akapo, Jackson Yueill, Niko Tsakiris, Jamiro Monteiro, Paul Marie, Cristian Espinoza, Jeremy Ebobisse,

Subs: JT Marcinkowski , Jonathan Mensah, Tommy Thompson, Michael Baldisimo, Will Richmond, Ayo Akinola, Matthew Hoppe

Captain: Jackson Yueill

Formation (4-2-3-1)

Injury Report:

Out

Nathan (cruciate ligament)
Judson (abdominal)
Benji Kikanović (lower body injury)
Jack Skahan (lower body injury)

International Call Up:

Cade Cowell
Ousseni Bouda
Miguel Trauco
Carlos Gruezo

The Managers:

DC United - Wayne Rooney

DC’s Gaffer has not only improved the play on the field, but has improved the sense of camaraderie and teamwork. Rooney continues to promote the idea of playing with courage and on the front foot, yet at the same time patience and calmness on the ball, so they can maintain control of the game. Through the last month his coaching has begun to pay dividends in both scoring and defense. This has allowed Rooney’s team to comeback from last match’s fluke goal, and the confidence to seek a fifth straight win in league play tonight.

San Jose Quakes - Luchi Gonzalez

Luchi Gonzales was a decent MLS Player but nothing remarkable. He left the league without fanfare and was out of soccer for a few years, before he was enticed into returning as a coach for the FC Dallas Academy. There Gonzalez began to become the teacher/coach that has become the hallmark of Gonzales’s coaching career. He rose up the ranks and would become the Head Coach of FC Dallas. He helped make the academy/development an identifying piece of Dallas. While in Dallas, Gonzalez played an integral role in the development of numerous homegrown players, most notably Ricardo Pepi, Reggie Cannon, and Tanner Tessmann.

After Gonzalez was let go by Dallas, he joined Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT staff in December 2021, and was able to experience a successful World Cup qualifying campaign. While there he learned more about how to build tactical cohesion and develop player appropriate tactics.

With San Jose, Gonzales is looking for San Jose to play with the ball, and build up play that puts his team in positions to score. He will be without dangerous winger Cade Cowell, but will have highly underrated Cristian Espinoza, and dangerous center forward Jeremy Ebobisse. Like DC United, the Quakes are in a fight for the playoffs, currently just in the playoff positions, so for both teams this is a must win, and must be treated like a playoff match.

Keys to the Match:

Is this another must win?

Yes!

DC United face another must win game at home against a beatable opponent a week after their most decisive 4-0 victory over the Chicago fire FC. That victory was a significant step forward in their quest to end their playoff drought. But it was just a step they needed to take if they are to make the playoffs in the fiercely competitive MLS Eastern Division. To keep their postseason aspirations alive, the Black & Red must continue to get home victories, something they haven’t done enough of this season.

The Quakes have had a challenging run in their recent three games, managing just one point. They suffered a 3-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City, followed by a narrow 2-3 defeat against LA Galaxy before salvaging a 1-1 draw against Minnesota United. San Jose is a team that is down, and it’s imperative that DC United keep them down and get a win against them to keep their postseason aspirations.

How to Best Use Ted Ku-DiPietro? The versatility of the young Home Grown on the soccer field has Ted been KDP’s standout qualities as he has earned him more playing time. Over his DC United career, KDP has been used in various midfield positions, but is this his best position? Ted Ku-DiPietro is amazing with the ball at his feet, but doesn’t seem to have the vision to be a true Ten. His ability and willingness to dribble at defenders allows him to play wing, but he doesn’t have blazing speed to be a top wing player. At the same time Ted KDP just seems more comfortable in the center of the field, so the idea of him developing into a false nine or a center forward has to be considered.

The false nine role would require KDP to drop deeper into the midfield to receive passes, and initiate offenses so he would still be a creative force and playmaker with the ball, but it would also allow him to use his greatest strength of making forward runs to challenge the opposition’s defense. His vision, passing ability, and soccer IQ plus the strong frame he’s grown into this season make a viable candidate for this position. His adaptability would allow him to seamlessly transition between midfield and attack.

This could be a good transition to playing as a Center Forward in the future when Christian Benteke ultimately moves on. Center Forward would utilize DiPietro’s goal-scoring instincts and composure in front of the net. His ability to read the game and find spaces could make him a constant threat in the opponent’s box.

Ultimately, the decision of how to play KDP now depends on Wayne Rooney’s tactical approach and the strategy for creating goal scoring opportunities. If the Black & Red aim for a more fluid and versatile attacking style, then deploying DiPietro as a false nine or center forward might be Rooney’s best move. KDP’s adaptability and aggressive play make him an asset in whichever position he’s deployed, but a false nine might be a notch above.

Will the defense continue in a back four? DC United’s defensive setup against Chicago was in a 4-1-4-1. The two Center Backs were the focal point and stayed deeper, while the Fullbacks were not quite as aggressive as in the past, and definitely were defensive responsibilities first. Russell Canouse played a traditional six, sitting right in front of the Center Backs providing cover and an outlet for clearing the ball.

Unfortunately both starting Fullbacks, Andy Najar and Eric Davis will be unavailable in this match, and their replacements, Ruan and Pedro Santos, are both more Wingers than Fullbacks. Does this necessitate a return to a three back defensive scheme? Rooney went to a back four to get more help in the midfield, but might he need a third Center Back to help cover the defensive frailties of his Wingbacks?

Another consideration will be the health of Derrick Williams. The left footed Center Back left the Chicago match early in the first half, but it sounded like it was precautionary, and he has not shown up on any injury reports this week. If he can go, he will most likely partner with Steven Birnbaum, the only question than is do they have a third partner in the back line.

Can Benteke keep his scoring form? DC United had faced a scoring challenge during the summer as Christian Benteke went through a severe scoring drought. This Belgian Striker ended the drought in game of the week type fashion. Benteke had arguably the best game of his season scoring two goals, getting an assist, and if not for a fluke own goal off of a foul that prevented a possible second assist or a chance at a penalty shot, he could have had more. Benteke has been a key asset for DC United, but against Chicago fans saw just how great he can be paired with the right players.

Bono is the answer in goal, but don’t count on his passing. Alex Bono has shown he can be an excellent goalkeeper, especially as a shot stopper, but it’s quite apparent why Wayne Rooney chose Tyler Miller over him. Bono is erratic as a passer, and doesn’t have the foot skills to play out of the back effectively. It will be interesting to see what tactical changes Rooney has to make because of this.

Things to Watch:

Offense - I wrote last week that the Black & Red’s over reliance on the long ball to target man Christian Benteke was becoming a problem, and then they executed it to perfection and scored four goals. United did make a tactical shift which did relieve some of the pressure on Benteke, so when they did pass over the top, Benteke wasn’t bracketed by defenders. In this United was able to maximize Benteke’s goal-scoring potential, and provided him multiple scoring opportunities.

Midfielders Mateusz Klich and Gabriel Pirani were able to move the ball through the midfield with the help of Andy Najar and Ted Ku-DiPoetro, which allowed the team to build some sustainable attacking play, and when this pulled in the defenders, Klich was able to pass over them and find the most dangerous aerial threat in MLS.

DC United’s defensive players still need to move the ball up the field faster. Against the Union, the back three were too slow moving the ball, against Chicago the two Center Backs were not much better. The Center Back’s passing game has often lacked the swiftness and accuracy required to transition effectively from defense to offense, and they were gun shy to pass the ball to Russell Canouse or Klich. They need to be more confident and consistent with their passing. They also need to stop relying on Bono to pass; it’s not his strength..

In the last game, DC United showed a more dynamic and cohesive approach to their offensive buildup. Quick and accurate passing from Benteke and Klich, combined with intelligent movement from Pirani and Ted Ku-DiPietro helped the Black & Red regain their scoring touch. Another performance like last week’s will help the team continue up the table..

Defense - To improve their defensive organization, DC United switched to a 4-1-4-1 with Russell Canouse playing his most natural position as a pure six. Moving to a 4-1-4 allowed the Black & Red to close down their opponents more quickly, especially in the center of the field. They did not give the Fire’s midfielders the freedom of movement that they had in recent games. This adjustment had a profound impact on the team’s defensive solidity and overall performance, by reducing the clear chances that Chicago had in the game.

With United moving to a four-one-four set up, DC was able to play deeper and to clog the center of the field, especially relying on Canouse's dogged defensive effort which is his strength. The change allowed the Black & Red to press better as a cohesive unit starting with the forwards fowl through the midfielders, all the way to the back line. DC United’s three lines, defenders, midfielders, and forwards worked with each other better than any time before. They ensured that the team applied coordinated pressure on the opposition players throughout the field. This collective effort was able to disrupt Chicago’s passing lanes, limit their time on the ball, and force turnovers higher up the pitch.

The midfield needs to continue to prioritize getting back into position more quickly when the team loses possession. Quick transition from attack to defense is crucial to prevent counter-attacks that San Jose will attempt.

The Black & Red must maintain their compact defensive shape. This requires not only individual speed, which might mean a return to a three back formation, but still must keep awareness of the team’s defensive structure. Moreover, defenders and Goalkeeper Alex Bono must continue to communicate effectively with each other, and not lose opponents in the box. The midfielders and wingers must also do more to relieve pressure on the defense.

One thing Rooney has wanted his team to do is short accurate passes between United’s lines so his team can retain possession and gradually build the attacks from the back. Clearing the ball hastily has often lead to loss of possession and invite more pressure from the opposition.

By improving their pressing, transition play, and communication between the lines, DC United’s defenders can reduce the pressure they face and enable the team to have better control over games. It’s not just about individual defending but also about working as a synchronized defensive unit to disrupt the opposition’s rhythm and create more opportunities to regain possession and launch fast attacks. These adjustments could be pivotal in improving DC United’s defensive performance and overall competitiveness.

By the Numbers: