DC United lose, Trinity returns to training, and more: Monday Freedom Kicks
Happy Monday, everyone. I’m recovering from a softball tournament over the weekend. It was a lot of fun, but I’m sore, hurt, and still tired. So, we get to the news while I apply more Icy Hot.
DC United continued their road trip by going to Columbus, where they fell 2-1 to the Crew. The team hasn’t won since a May 31st win at Cincinnati.
USWNT’s Trinity Rodman returns to training with Spirit (ESPN)
She’s back! Trinity Rodman was back on the training field with her Spirit teammates for the first time since April. So great to have her on the field!
Takeaways from Loudoun’s loss to Oakland (DP)
Ryan gives us the takeaways as Loudoun’s winless skid continues.
Ann-Katrin Berger follows up biblical miracle with penalty heroics for Germany (The Guardian)
AKB had a save for the ages and then came up huge in penalties as Germany, despite being down to 10 after a stupid red card, beat France to advance to the semis of Euro 2025.
Reports: Weah closing in on Marseille transfer (PSW)
Tim Weah could be leaving Juventus to head to Marseille. Weah would return to Ligue 1 after two seasons away.
England’s Jess Carter subject to racist abuse during Euro 2025 (ESPN)
Jess Carter penned a statement that detailed some of the racial abuse she has received throughout the Euros. It’s unacceptable and it needs to stop, and it’s about time soccer did something real about it.
Back to my rest & recovery.
Great to have Trin back. I fear though that she’s going to sign with Lyon when her contract expires.
It breaks my heart that I have almost stopped following DC United. I didn’t even know they were playing Cincinnati–er, no, Columbus. I have no idea who they play next. The incompetence of the ownership has led to this.
Similar here, both on Trin and United.
I basically get Apple TV’s MLS package because my laptop counts as a device for someone I’m close to’s account, and I guess the subscription turned over mid season or something unexpectedly, so I missed out on that game. I joked at the time to myself that “oh, no, I’m gonna miss the fun,” but in the last few games not watching United and leaning into other evening activities, it’s felt more and more healthy to forgo. Watching this team effectively do nothing but show an inability to compete is scarring psychologically for a long time fan, it seems.
I’m not even particularly bothered about the new coach.
I may find a way to re-up Apple, but the alternative is massively tempting. Karaoke Saturdays is fun in a way United simply isn’t.
Scarring psychologically……says it all…….
My Apple account has been wonky for the last week or so on my laptop. It wants me to sign in, and when I do, it just pops up the “Sign in” window again. Still works on my phone, though…
It’s asking me to subscribe, which seems strange mid season. My source is getting back from a trip tomorrow, didn’t want to bug them till then
JoeW, the first thing on my mind was Trin to Lyon. She’s just waiting for a visa.
Talonesque, speaking time spent away from AppleTV+, I went to Rod Stewart at Merriweather, mercifully under cover. Hotel plus two tickets equal to two club seats for two games.
Rod is a winner. DC United is not. I am out for the first time since 1996. I will continue to go here and there. It is simply a terrible investment of money and time to pour money into this moribund franchise as a STH. I can go to every Auld Firm game next year for the same cost, flights and housing etc included for less than my seats in C5.
Plus, my night driving is fading (Haymarket, VA), a sad consideration……
Seriously folks:
1) Cheap Trick opened and they still can punch it hard. Bravo!
2) Rod Stewart is a force of nature, and his incredibly talent sidekicks are simply terrific.
Worth……every…..penny…..
The driving is also why I haven’t made it to an OGDC game in-person in a while. Since home games are now at the Maryland Soccerplex…on a Saturday from Woodbridge…I’m looking at 2+ hours each way.
Also United sucking so hard is why I haven’t even looked at getting to a game at Buzzard Point this year as getting into the district on a Saturday from Woodbridge is a pain…driving to Pentagon City mall, hopping yellow line to L’Enfant then switching to green to waterfront and walking…unless my dad is going and decides he wants to drive us and park on post at Ft McNair.
Doc96. On a game by game basis join up in the West Stands. Equal view or better than your club seats, a roof (!!!), and row 12 or higher you’ll never get rained on unless there is a hurricane blowing out of the east. And much, much less expensive ( my STM IS $70 per match).
I will heed your advice and hook up next year. Make no mistake, I bleed Black and Red, but I cant exsanguinate to the point of anemia.
I believe Jess Carter and Anne-Katrin Berger are a couple, or at least were the last time I checked. Talk about divergent weeks! It’s sad that Carter’s inarguably poor performance has awakened that ugliness in people’s souls. People need to get a grip.
Edit: I checked, they’re engaged
I watched the DC United game on Sunday afternoon while doing chores. I like watching Benteke. He is class.
The ownership can just sell the team and go away with how minor league the rest of the roster is.
I’m starting to slowly get apathetic as it is not going to get better with this ownership. Buy them out and name a luxury box after them or something as thanks for getting the stadium built.
Seriously ask yourselves: Could this team (without Benteke) win the USL?
I say no.
Flanagan’s press conferences are hard to watch. He sounds as exhausted as he says his players are. I guess starting your interim stint in the middle of a three game, cross-country road trip is unpleasant.
Yeah, he’s given me a renewed appreciation for Troy Lesesne, at least when it comes to press conferences. I find it hard to believe that he can inspire a squad of players.
Get used to it. Department of State is closing our borders to Swiss nationals.
Like most things nowadays, I’m not sure if this is a joke or not…
It’s a joke on two levels, one of them is the ability for DC United to find misery in every move….
The other…..well…….
It’s shocking that there are still 3 teams lower than us in the standings (one of which (LA Galaxy) that beat us recently). Second fewest GF; second most GA.
All due respect to our players–I think some of them would just fare better in USL C’ship–which three positions, or players, could use the most immediate upgrade? I’d think at least one CB, one outside back, and one wing.
It’s hard to truly know without three actual DPs. Unless you’re Miami, you’re still looking for value players to combine with the 700k talents and DP stars. But truly, I don’t think you survive in this league without three of them.
The positions I’d like for DP are: Striker (we can’t just wait for Benteke to fall apart entirely, and he’s already losing durability), playmaker, and a classy winger that best fits the coach’s system.
DPs have never been anything but marginal gain any further back in position.
As for immediate signings, I don’t see the point in rushing any. This season is toast, we need too many good additions to flail to salvage this one.
Yeah, but last year we were able to integrate Dominique Badji and Boris Enow (not really Schnegg, since he got hurt right away), and look what a difference it’s made in their performances this year!
Crap signings will be crap signings at any time of the year.
A new centerback I could see, but I don’t think there’s much sense in bringing in more high-profile outside backs. Herrera has been in a bit of a slump after coming back from the Gold Cup, and he and Schnegg aren’t perfect, but as far as outside backs go in the league they’re both pretty good.
I think the position that stands out to me the most is a winger. I’ve mentioned him before as a potential target, but I think someone like Alex Zendejas could be good (he’s American, and has been linked with potential MLS moves before, so he seems like he could be lured away). Plus, getting a good attacking winger would help take some of the pressure off of Herrera and/or Schnegg, since they wouldn’t have to devote so much time to trying to attack, which would help us defensively.
So, I think a quality centerback and a DP (or at least high-profile) winger would be steps in the right direction.
Another attacking Mid (though Pirani has made strides as of recently) and a backup striker somewhere between Benteke and Murrel (who I think has done well) could also help.
Pirani needs to be consistently good before I’d say we don’t need another attacking mid. Though I think we are missing Klich’s presence in the midfield in terms of attacking out of the central area of the field.
Yeah, fully agreed. Though, I do think if we bring in someone like a DP-level winger, that could have some knock-on effects like freeing up Benteke and Pirani more, which could help them since they wouldn’t be getting hounded as much.
But…..but…..
We are paying his salary, doesn’t that count as good management?
Like a few folks mentioned, it’s so hard to say what’s a priority when… everything is. Every position up the spine of the team is lacking: CB,DM,CAM, reserve striker, GK…and our options at the wide midfield or forward positions are not great. There are good glue pieces on the team already, but as Talonesque said, without a full contingent of DPs we won’t see anyone play at a higher level (and also a permanent HC).
If I had to really pick three, CB, DM and an attacking winger, I suppose. But I’m not comfortable with our GK room at all (Barraza would be a great backup, we just won’t grow with him passing out of the back).
Apparently Goff is taking a buy out from the Post. This will probably mark the end of local professional coverage of DC United, and possibly men’s soccer in general. He may make less frequent contributions as a contractor (source, him). I wouldn’t say this is DC United’s fault – even if they were the top team in the league I’m betting the new “leadership” is stripping the company down til it’s just an advertising vehicle for Amazon and capitalist greed.
Oh, it’s 💯 Bezos.
That’s terrible news. I appreciate his work. (I do think he gives our management a bit of a pass, but still the coverage is quite good).
The strangest thing I’ve heard him say is that he’s not a DC United fan. Now, does that mean “I don’t care about this team” or “as a journalist I’m not invested emotionally”? He made it seem like this was his job more than anything. I do think the tone in his articles, and emphasizing how futile we’ve been in the last decade, indicates he’s at least astounded by the ownership’s poor record. It just seems like he doesn’t believe it’s his place to write a critical think piece about DCU. I wish someone would, and not just sound mad on a podcast.
It also possible that, in order to be an insider, he had to be inside
I would guess it’s more that he’s no fan of the way the team operates.
I think Doyle nailed it. What DCU needs is a vision. We’ve kind of had that at times. But then the coach didn’t work out. And so the vision for the kind of player we sought completely changed.
Getting Harris with the Commanders just really drove home to me about how the organizational success is driven by the owner. If we go out and sign a DP and maybe a U22, we’ll be marginally better on the field, maybe won’t finish with the wooden spoon. But then when Weiler leaves in a year (because he doesn’t do multi-year projects), we’re back to a new coach revamping the roster but likely doing it on a budget.
First and foremost, the idiots in the owners box need to invest in the Youth. An academy you don’t have to pay to play for. An MLS-Next team. I can be a big fan of this club (and have been in the past) without us spending big money on big stars. Philly shows you can compete successfully with a good farm system. i’ve coached youth soccer in the DC area. This place has a ton of potential talent. We could be upper half of the East table every year in MLS with just competently developed DC youth talent and 1 or 2 decent (not great) DP signings. I’m not asking them to be Inter-Miami or some other big budget team.
Bold of you to assume they’re in the owner’s box. (I’m implying they don’t attend very often).
Bold of you to think anyone can be Inter Miami in MLS……Darth Garber knows who you are……
/s
Agree with you 100% on youth development.
MLS Writer’s Bureau Power Rankings have DCU moving up to 29th from 30th, but only because Montreal had a worse week than us?
https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/power-rankings-where-every-team-stands-at-the-all-star-break-2025
ESPN FC Power Rankings leave us in 30th: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45784056/mls-power-rankings-philadelphia-jumps-miami-first-place
You constant pessimism is glaring……
/s
Atlanta has waived Mateusz Klich. I think we may have entered a twilight zone situation here. What, if anything, are we on the hook for? Does this clear up cap room for us? What about the DP slot… I mean, logically we’ve traded that along with him, so ATL should still have control of it until the end of the season. But, MLS.
I guess the most appropriate question is, how has this helped Miami stay cap compliant? Because it has, of course. Every MLS transaction clearly must.
If we don’t get a DP slot freed up immediately, peak MLS/Garberdom
I think you identified it perfectly. Klich’s DP spot will revert to its rightful spot….Miami.
Good Lord, reading this news that was my exact thought. This league is really kind of a joke.
Atlanta United have waived Matheusz Klich, according to Tom Bogert.
Might not be Freedom Kicks today, does anyone have an inkling what Klich’s waiver means mechanically within the league in terms of roster rules?
That Miami gets the allocation of the DP spot per rule 456-3.2
-Darth Garber