:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/41060902/20141003_pjc_sb4_247.JPG.0.jpg)
So bottom line up front, a point on the road is generally acceptable in my book, and a clean sheet on the road is always a good thing, so I don't really have a problem with the performance from the other night. Overall, not having won a league match in a stretch is a little frustrating, and while it's certainly not time to panic, and I'm really confident that Sporting will be in the post-season, it would be nice to finish the season with a roar, rather than a whimper.
Injuries to Erik Palmer-Brown and Aurelien Collin along with suspensions to Seth Sinovic and Jorge Claros add to the headache and task of juggling healthy and fit players for the last stretch. I'm still not clear on what the definitive word on Claros's suspension is other than it's for "inappropriate language". Claros is listed on the MLS Fantasy Advice page as suspended, and with his callup to the Honduras team for friendlies this week, his regular season may be done.
Anyways, here's some numbers that may or may not mean much.
|
DC United |
Rating |
Key Stat |
|
Bill Hamid |
6.3 |
Clean Sheet, 3 saves |
|
Bobby Boswell |
5.6 |
9 CBIs |
|
Sean Franklin |
5.6 |
2 key passes |
|
Steve Birnbaum |
5.6 |
9 clearences |
|
Chris Korb |
6.0 |
6 recoveries |
|
Taylor Kemp |
6.0 |
6 recoveries |
|
Luis Silva |
5.3 |
7 Key Passes |
|
Nick DeLeon |
4.6 |
4 shots |
|
Davy Arnaud |
4.6 |
6 tackles |
|
Lewis Neal |
3.6 |
27 minutes played |
|
Chris Pontius |
4.3 |
1 block |
|
Fabian Espindola |
3.9 |
3 shots on traget |
|
Eddie Johnson |
3.6 |
1 accurate long ball |
|
Team Average |
5.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rating |
Key Stat |
|
|
Andy Gruenebaum |
6.3 |
Clean Sheet, 7 saves |
|
Seth Sinovic |
5.0 |
5 CBIs |
|
Matt Besler |
6.7 |
8 interceptions |
|
Lawrence Olum |
5.6 |
10 recoveries |
|
Kevin Ellis |
6.3 |
14 CBIs |
|
Igor Juliao |
5.6 |
2 key passes |
|
Benny Feilhaber |
3.6 |
13 minutes played |
|
Graham Zusi |
4.3 |
85% pass accuracy |
|
Paulo Nagamura |
3.9 |
3 tackles |
|
Toni |
4.6 |
2 shots on target |
|
Dom Dwyer |
3.6 |
2 key passes |
|
CJ Sapong |
4.3 |
1 shot on target |
|
Team Average |
5.0 |
|
Andy Gruenbaum had a really good game I thought, but so did Matt Besler, especially without Collin. Overall everyone on the defensive side played well, so if all we need now is the offense to start clicking some I won't be too worried. Here's to hoping Sporting can right the ship against Chicago on Friday. With Chicago officially eliminated maybe they lose some of what little spark they had this year, but everyone likes to be a spoiler....