DC United Fall to Charlotte, MLS 30 Best, New Kit, and more: Thursday Freedom Kicks
Happy Thursday, everyone. Yesterday was an up and down day for DC United fans. New kit. New coach. Same results on the field. Let’s get to it.
D.C. United’s Winless Run Hits Seven: ‘It’s Tough for the Lads’ (WAPO $)
Kevin Flanagan continued his caretaker duties and lead a shorthanded DC United into Charlotte. Christian Benteke stayed in the nation’s capital with a muscular issue while David Schnegg and Aaron Herrera sat out due to yellow card accumulation. Luis Barraza did his best to keep United in the game and Gabriel Pirani had a moment of brilliance, but it was not enough as DCU fell 2-1 extending their winless streak to seven. DCU faces Columbus on Saturday.
D.C. United Officially Names René Weiler Its New Coach (WAPO $)
Nearly a week after his name surfaced in rumors as Troy Lesesne’s replacement, DC United officially announce René Weiler as the new manager. Weiler’s contract runs until the end of the 2027 season. Terms were not officially released, but Goff’s reports that rumors Weiler will have the largest coach’s contract accurate, and his deal will start at $1.4 million and will rise to $1.85 million. He will take over the technical area in a few weeks after securing a work visa.
DC United Releases Archive Kit to Honor MLS Cup-winning Teams (DP)
DCU was among a handful of teams to release an “Archive” third kit. Donald did an excellent job detailing the different elements of the new jersey.
This is probably my second favorite of the white jerseys DCU has featured over the last 10 years or so. (The Cherry Blossom kit is by far my favorite.) I love the return of the three stripes across the chest. Some of the more recent jerseys have just been too bland for my tastes (looking at you Marble kit and Plain White t-shirt jersey.) My only real issue is I would flip the DC United and the sponsor on the lower back.
Charlotte, Colorado, Columbus, FC Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, New England, San Jose, and Seattle also released third kits. I think Seattle’s might be my favorite of the remainder. The colors aren’t garish and I like the wave pattern on the shoulders.
Norway 1-2 Italy highlights: Late Cristiana Girelli Header Decides Women’s EURO Quarter-final (UEFA)
Italy advances to the EURO Semifinals for the first time since 1997 with a 2-1 victory over Norway. Christina Girelli scored two, including the winner in the 90th minute. Spirit-to-be Sofia Cantore provided assists on both of Italy’s goals. Italy will play the winner of tomorrow’s England/Sweden Match.
Colombia and Venezuela played to a 0-0 draw. Leicy Santos played the full 90 minutes.
30 Best players in MLS history: From BWP to Beckham, Messi to Moreno (USA Today)
Jason Anderson put together a list of the 30 best players in MLS history. Players who represented DC United make up 1/5 of the list. The Black and Red are well represented by Jeff Agoos, Dwayne De Rosario, Marco Etcheverry, Jaime Moreno, Eddie Pope, and Nick Rimando. I am curious what a list of the 30 best DC United players would look like after these six. Ben Olsen and Bill Hamid would be on my list but it would take time to put the full list together.
Rodrigo De Paul to join Miami on loan from Atlético (ESPN)
In one of those the rich get richer arrangements, Rodrigo De Paul will join Inter Miami from Atlético Madrid on a loan deal that will become permanent. De Paul’s contract with Atlético Madrid runs out next June though reports indicate De Paul and Miami are negotiating a more permanent arrangement.
I’ll end on a positive note.
Angel City’s Savy King on Recovery: ‘I’ll be Better Than Ever’ (ESPN)
Two months after she collapsed on the field in a match against Utah Royals FC, Savy King did an interview with Good Morning America, where she credited the team’s medical staff with saving her life. After medical staff performed chest compressions and used an AED on her, King was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a heart abnormality. She had surgery to correct it. There is no timetable for her return, but she is working towards it saying “I’ll be back, and I’ll be better than ever.” I know all of us are rooting for that moment she walks back on to the pitch.
Until next week.
One more week until the transfer window opens. The team better have some players ready to come in right at the beginning.
This FO have a plan going into a transfer window…is that possible?
Generally a pretty good list of 30 by Jason, but I can’t say I agree with the inclusion of Sergio Busquets. He’s a good player, sure. But I don’t know that he’s been in MLS long enough, or done enough in the league to be in the top 30 *MLS* players of all time.
Since Henry, there’s been a big tension in MLS between the idea of “greatest player ever in MLS” being someone who has set records with longevity and productivity, and pure talent and previous legacy.
Busquets is one of the greatest DMs of all time, but we’re obviously not seeing his best.
For me, I think we should honor the Jaime Morenos that have endured, but Eurosnobs will greet each new megastar acquisition without my thought.
I think there’s a place for both for sure. Like I will not argue against Zlatan being on the list. He wasn’t here long, but the dude averaged like 1 goal a game and was clearly one of the best players when he was on the field. I think someone like a Nico Loderio could easily take Busquets place here. Hell, I’d even put Dax above him.
With Zlatan on the list, surely it would also include Quincy Amarikwa, no?
I had the same thought about Zlatan. My enduring memory of seeing him at Audi Field was him flopping every time a United looked at him in the box. Undoubtedly a world class talent, but for influence and legacy in MLS not in my top 30.
Just a few notable omissions that come to mind who could’ve been in over Busquets:
-Darlington Nagbe: serial winner and immensely important for every team he’s played for. Jason was probably told to scratch him off to fit Busquets, I don’t see another explanation.
-Sharlie Joseph: at times NE’s best defender and best goal scoring threat.
-Ozzie Alonso: no one ever had fun playing against him.
The list is a bit of a mess in terms of consistency. Sure, Busquets is an all-time great European player, but what’s he done in MLS? In his position, how do you leave off Ozzie Alonso? But he had no pedigree, coming from USL. On the other end of the spectrum, from Busquets, might be Jeff Agoos. I find it hard to think of him as one of the top defenders in MLS history, but Jason sticks him there because he was on 5 Cup winning teams.
Similarly, he has Onstad there, I think mostly based on the hardware he has won. That’s not that objectionable, but on that basis, and on their general ability, I’d take Stefan Frei ahead of Onstad. But, Frei has no connection to DC United or the DMV, which seems to be pretty important to Jason and his list. He even kicks off his description of Kyle Beckerman as a Crofton, MD native, but doesn’t do that for other American players.
I feel there ought to be a place here for Darlington Nagbe, too — but maybe it needs to be a top 40 list for that? And as for goal-scorers, if DeRo and BWP are on the list, I don’t see how Taylor Twellman gets left off. He’s pretty much on par with BWP in minutes played per goals. In fact, only Keane, Martinez are solidly ahead in that average, and Ruiz and BWP are just barely ahead of Twellman. Not sure how Kei Kamara rates higher, except on longevity. Also, I think there ought to be a place for Walker Zimmerman. Was Chad Marshall better in any meaningful way?
Pat Onstad should also be on the list of players who represented DC United.
Well, that’s why I mentioned it. Player, briefly, and an assistant coach.
My mistake there.
Agoos rendered us Jamie Moreno. US vs Bolivia at RFK. Absolutely torched him twice. or that dubious distinction, put him in the top 30…..
Also it seems that Pirani has found his shooting boots…
He’s motivated by a move
Just in time for him to get some sort of knee injury late in the game!
Apparently he’s the only one that knows that you need to at least try to shoot the ball if you want to score a goal. I appreciate that about him. He doesn’t just try to dance around the box, if he sees an angle open, he’ll take a chance.
I’ve even kind of talked myself into the idea that bringing him back next year is a good idea… provided we sign three other DPs who all hit, including a number 10. Pirani is fine to have around as a backup scoring option. There’s just no way that a team should be built around him. But if he’s like the fourth or fifth banana, then sure. Why not?
After this week, Pirani now has more goal contributions for DC United than Ted Ku-DiPietro in about 50 fewer minutes.
I mean, that’s not saying much, I dig TKDP’s game, but his production didn’t match his skillz on the ball. I think there’s a place for a guy like Pirani — he can score a few goals, and if he had more formidable attacking threats on the wings, and maybe a more dynamic striker, we’d see more production out of him.
This is about where I’m at. As long as he’s not a DP, I think he’s got a place on the team.
I’m in the same boat. Pirani looks like a solid option, he’s just not THE guy and definitely not the ONLY guy. It’s a far cry from when I thought we bought him just to establish a relationship with a club in Brazil for the future. He’s not good at pressing at all, which is probably why he found himself in Troy’s doghouse for so many stretches of time. I also liked what I saw from Peglow – he keeps the ball well and can hit a good pass no matter what way he’s facing.
We’re completely futile in the box is the bigger issue. Badji, Leal, Murrell, Stroud, everyone else in the wings don’t know how to shoot or don’t have the composure to do it. I saw us knock the ball around the box so many times last night and no one could get remotely open inside the 18.
This team really misses Andy Najar, but he’s in a better place now. May he play in peace.
Pirani basically doesn’t do anything well, except that he can shoot okay. And for a team as starved for goals as us, that’s fine. But the team needs more quality across the board in every aspect of the game.
That’s way harsh, Tai.
There’s been great improvement suddenly, both in his creativity and precision in passing around the box and in shooting.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-transfers-what-every-eastern-conference-team-needs-this-summer-2025
Matt Doyle is correct in that our biggest need is “A vision”.
Also this explanation of how Messi FC…I mean Inter Miami FC is going to get away with bringing in Rodrigo De Paul from Atletico Madrid:
It is almost hilarious how Garber let’s this crap go on. There is no parity.
MLS All-Star game should be Miami vs the rest of MLS, with refs hand-selected by Darth Garber.
FWIW, Jason’s 30 best in MLS history number 11 Americans, two each of Canadians, Argentines, Bolivians, English, Venezuelans, and one Swede, Spaniard, Frenchman, Mexican, Sierra Leonian, Irish, Serb, Colombian and Italian.