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Bill Hamid Named Player Of The Week

By on March 18, 2013 | Follow @WVHooligan |

Thanks to the large amounts of draws in Week 3, it was only a matter of time before a defensive-type player got the honors of MLS Player of the Week. This week it was D.C. United keeper Bill Hamid.

Hamid received 16 of the 28 votes with Montreal Impact midfielder Patrice Bernier picking up seven nominations as the only other selection with two or more votes.

Hamid’s seven save performance over the New York Red Bulls was very impressive. He made several huge saves in the 0-0 draw for United. The most talked about save was of course the last big save of the day. Hamid used a goal-line stop in stoppage time where he recovered on a corner to pull back a low Brandon Barklage close-range waist-high off the line.

Big saves like that will earn you honors such as this.

My second choice vote went to Montreal’s Bernier. He was a very close second due to his goal and assist on the day for the Impact as they downed Toronto 2-1.

You can see the rest of the NASR votes here.

Continue Reading · · in DC United, MLS

Dwayne De Rosario Suspended For Two Matches

By on March 1, 2013 | Follow @WVHooligan |

A fun way to start out the Eve of the 2013 MLS Season.

The MLS Disciplinary Committee has suspended D.C. United forward Dwayne De Rosario for two games and fined him an undisclosed amount for violent conduct that endangered the safety of his opponent, Philadelphia Union midfielder Danny Cruz, during a preseason game between the clubs on Feb. 23. The referee issued De Rosario a red card for violent conduct in the 60th minute of the match.

The MLS Players Union appealed the decision on behalf of De Rosario. MLS Commissioner Don Garber heard the appeal yesterday and upheld the Disciplinary Committee’s decision.

De Rosario will serve his suspension this Saturday when D.C. United opens its season against Houston Dynamo and on March 9 when D.C. hosts Real Salt Lake.

I wonder if this is the first player to be suspended for an season opener due to a preseason game. Just an interesting story line to watch out for this weekend.

Continue Reading · · in DC United, MLS

2013 MLS Season Preview: Eastern Conference

By on February 28, 2013 | Follow @WVHooligan |
Sporting KC hopes to keep their hold on the Eastern Conference in 2013.

Sporting KC hopes to keep their hold on the Eastern Conference in 2013.

It is time to get down to it. I’ve already gone through each MLS side, along with several other previews. But now it is time to get down to where I think things will shake out once the dust settles later this year.

Yes, I am talking predictions folks.

First up is the Eastern Conference.

Right now I see the Eastern Conference as a pretty deep group of clubs. I feel confident that it could end up being a eight team race for the long haul of the season. Yes, eight teams folks. I think the top part of the conference is pretty well stacked but the middle group from about 3-8 is closer than some might think.  Continue Reading →

Continue Reading · · in Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, DC United, Houston Dynamo, MLS, Montreal Impact, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, Sporting KC, Toronto FC

D.C. United Add Carlos Ruiz To Their Attack

By on February 20, 2013 | Follow @WVHooligan |
Guess who is back in MLS? ( Photo by Chris Gardner / Getty Images)

Guess who is back in MLS? ( Photo by Chris Gardner / Getty Images)

I won’t go into this one in too much detail Just felt it was worth passing on.

D.C. United has added some fire to their attack today by signing forward Carlos Ruiz. Yep. That Carlos Ruiz. El Pescadito in fact. Ruiz has scored 88 career goals in MLS for FC Dallas, LA Galaxy, Toronto FC and most recently with the Philadelphia Union.

The Black-and-Red added Ruiz via the allocation system. Meaning, they go from number 17 allocation order down to 19. The Guatemalan was placed in the allocation system due to his status as a former MLS player who returns to the League after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee.

Love him or hate him, United needed some offense for this season. If he can be even half the player that we’ve seen out of him in the past, this could be a solid steal for Ben Olsen’s club. But saying all of that also breeds a bit of caution as well. Ruiz has always been a very polarizing player in MLS. United better hope the locker room chemistry doesn’t go away with a guy like Ruiz there.

Continue Reading · · in DC United, MLS

More Goat Trades: Chivas USA Send James Riley To DC

By on February 14, 2013 | Follow @WVHooligan |

Another bites the dust….or something like that. I suppose it depends on how you look at this.

D.C. United today announced that the club has acquired defender James Riley from Chivas USA in exchange for a 2015 second round Supplemental Draft pick.

That makes two former Chivas USA players now with D.C. United. The other being Casey Townsend who was traded to the Black-and-Red earlier this winter. The is the second day in a row with a trading involving Chivas USA (yesterday they sent Ben Zemanski packing to Portland).

I won’t say that Riley is an amazing player or anything like that right now. But damn, this is another steal for D.C. from Chivas. Apparently Riley had a dust up with new Chivas USA manager José Luis Sánchez Solá and his name was on the chopping block. Whatever the case may be Chivas’ most experienced defender from last year is Bobby Burling. Which is interesting considering the fact that Burling didn’t join Chivas until August of 2012. Yup.

Chivas and their fire sale continues I suppose. You have to think at some point they’ll finally sign a slew of players to fill out their roster. The question becomes, can all these new faces get along and work? I doubt it. MLS is a league that works well when teams don’t have a ton of turnover from year to year and Chivas will certainly have the most turnover going into 2013.

Continue Reading · · in Chivas USA, DC United, MLS

2013 MLS Season Preview: D.C. United

By on February 14, 2013 | Follow @WVHooligan |
Rafael could be the DP that DC has been searching for all of these years. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Rafael could be the DP that DC has been searching for all of these years. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

The 2013 MLS preseason is in fully swing right now. Several teams from the league are in Florida or out in Arizona. D.C. United is currently in Orlando at the Disney preseason tournament. Yesterday they lost 2-0 to Sporting Kansas City.

Today we’ll dive into a season preview for Ben Olsen’s club.

Last year United nearly claimed the Eastern Conference crown before bowing out to rivals Houston in the Eastern Conference finals. Olsen’s club had to deal with some injuries throughout the season but did manage to get plenty of points and at one time were very close to securing the top seed in the East.

Time to look and see how they have done this winter and what questions we might have about them. Continue Reading →

Continue Reading · · in DC United, MLS

Gringo Fire Sale Continues: Chivas Ship Townsend To DC

By on January 25, 2013 | Follow @WVHooligan |

The fire sale at Chivas USA continues. We’ve heard for weeks how the club wanted to become more Mexican-American with their roster and today’s most recent trade sure gives way that a big sale is on-going in LA.

Chivas has traded second year forward Casey Townsend to D.C. United for just a second round pick in next year’s SuperDraft. Townsend was the fifth overall selection in last year’s draft. That is a big time steal for United.

“We were quite surprised that Casey was available for a trade and we pounced on it,” said D.C. United General Manager Dave Kasper. “He is an exciting striker who brings a ton of energy to the attack, and we think he will be a great fit with our side. He is very happy to return to the D.C. Metropolitan area and we are equally excited to bring him back.”

I love this move for both sides. And what I mean by that is I love it for Townsend and D.C. United. For Chivas not so much. I love Kasper’s quote about how they pounced on this deal. They had a need up front and took full advantage of this sale.

Townsend only scored one goal in his rookie season but then again, not many were scoring for Chivas last year. Getting out of LA is a good thing for this young player and landing back home in D.C. is a great fit.

So who is next? Shalrie Joseph isn’t in the club’s plans. Neither is keeper Dan Kennedy. Raushawn McKenzie is already said to be on trial with Chicago. Does that mean guys like Ben Zemanski are next? The Chivas roster is getting smaller by the day.

Continue Reading · · in Chivas USA, DC United, MLS

What’s Lacking – DC and Houston Preseason Look

By on January 21, 2013 | Follow @WVHooligan |
Houston and D.C. will be battling it out again in 2013. (Getty Images)

Houston and D.C. will be battling it out again in 2013. (Getty Images)

I’m trying to push through as many preseason pieces this week as possible. Second of the day in the What’s Lacking series that looks at pieces that are missing with each MLS side in the preseason.

Earlier in the day I looked at the Chicago Fire and the Columbus Crew. Sticking with the Eastern Conference, time to look at two clubs that reached the conference finals in 2012, the Houston Dynamo and D.C. United.

D.C. United

- Scoring up front. They got some guys coming off injuries (Chris Pontius, Dwayne De Rosario) and a newcomer in DP Rafael. But they still feel like they are lacking one more scoring threat up front. Lionard Pajoy has to come through in a bigger way this season or else there will be some holes up front for Ben Olsen to fill.

- The Najar of it all. Is he going or will he be back? Something we’ll find out before the season starts but let’s play the if he goes game for a moment. That is a big void on the wings for United, both in defense and in the attack. They took Taylor Kemp in the draft last week and that may be good enough for depth but something tells me they’ll still need more bodies on the wings in 2013.

- Depth in defense. If I am Ben Olsen, the next big(ish) move I make this winter is adding some depth in the back. It doesn’t need to be a big name right off the bat but currently United is a little thin in defense. I’d love to see them get another quality center back. In a league where defense wins, you can never have enough quality in the back.

Houston Dynamo

- Outside depth. They look loaded up top with the likes of Omar Cummings, Will Bruin, Cam Weaver, Bring Ching and rookie Jason Johnson. But the Dynamo need some depth in the midfield on the flanks. Dominic Kinnear knows it will be another busy schedule in 2013 and that getting Brad Davis, Oscar Boneik Garcia and others rest at certain moments will be key.

- Depth in the back. This is a fairly common theme with the Dynamo in 2013. They need depth all over but in defense for sure. Losing Andre Hainault in the offseason was big, maybe even bigger than most will be willing to admit. Adding Eric Brunner was good and drafting Jimmy Nealis was crafty by Kinnear but at the end of it all, they still need more bodies in the back. Maybe he will convert another midfielder to defense like he did with Corey Ashe.

Continue Reading · · in DC United, Houston Dynamo, MLS

DC United Signs Second Youngest DP In League History

By on January 9, 2013 | Follow @WVHooligan |

Rafael

D.C. United today announced that the club has signed Brazilian striker Rafael as a young Designated Player on loan for one year.

The 20-year old  joins the Black-and-Red from Bahia of the Brazilian Serie A, where he has made 36 first-team appearances and has scored 10 goals.

The young striker is now the youngest current Designated Player in MLS at the age of 20 and the second-youngest Designated Player signing in League history (Fabian Castillo was 18 when he signed with FC Dallas).

“We are very excited to have reached a deal to bring Rafael to D.C. United on a one-year loan with a view to a permanent transfer,” said D.C. United General Manager Dave Kasper. “He is a young, talented player with solid experience with the Brazilian Serie A club Bahia. We believe Rafael has all the qualities to be a successful striker in Major League Soccer, and we look forward to having him join us in pre-season 2013.”

I’m a big fan of young players joining the league and I also believe this may be the year of the Young DP in MLS. But saying that I do wonder if D.C. jumped the shark on this one a bit and signed a guy that may not be quite DP worthy just yet. In 13 Serie A games in Brazil, Rafael only played 412 minutes. Is that really DP-worthy? I’m not sure it is.

Continue Reading · · in DC United, MLS

2012 MLS Cup Playoffs, Conference Finals: What We Learned

By on November 19, 2012 | Follow @WVHooligan |

The Home Depot Center is ready for round two between the Dynamo and Galaxy. (Getty Images)

The MLS Cup is now set. For the second straight seasons we will get the unlikely final pairing of the LA Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo, at the Home Depot Center. Crazy how this all shook out in the end but honestly this will be a fantastic final in two weeks.

Yesterday saw the end of the year for D.C. United and the Seattle Sounders. Both had strong seasons but each fell short in the end.

I think there were plenty of talking points from last night’s two games. And there will be plenty of other talking point over the next two weeks as well.  Continue Reading →

Continue Reading · · in DC United, Houston Dynamo, LA Galaxy, MLS, Seattle Sounders FC