D.C. United will take on the Houston Dynamo tonight without star forward Eddie Johnson. Johnson broke out of a scoring drought against Montreal on Saturday, but also received a questionable suspension and fine for a “reckless challenge” against Impact goalkeeper Troy Perkins and contact with the face of Wandrille Lefevere in the ensuing argument. Conor Doyle is expected to start in his place. United will miss Johnson’s presence on the field, but wins were coming without him and the offense should still be dangerous with the likes of Fabian Espindola, Chris Rolfe, Doyle, Perry Kitchen, and Nick DeLeon moving the ball in the final third.
Houston, however is missing a couple key players from its midfield due to World Cup camps: Brad Davis and Boniek García. This is an opportunity for United to take three points from an Eastern Conference foe while testing a posession-focused attack originating from midfield. It should also make it easier for the United midfield to avoid costly turnovers which cost the team two points against the Impact on Saturday. Houston will remain dangerous, however, and the winless streak against the Forever Orange still hangs over the heads to a United program working hard to erase the memory of a disastrous 2013 regular season campaign. Houston has been a thorn in the Black and Red’s side for the past couple seasons, so the pressure to put up a win against the visitors is surely weighing on the players’ minds.
Almost every post I’ve made about D.C. United has had one common focus: Chris Rolfe. If he plays well, United is extremely dangerous. It is important that Rolfe be given room in the center of the field to move the ball and make runs. That means the outside midfielders need to draw players away from the center of the field to feed Rolfe passes in the midfield and crosses near the goal. Rolfe must link up with Espindola as often as possible against Houston, putting pressure on Kitchen and DeLeon to distribute the ball accurately and avoid costly giveaways and missed shots.
Overall, avoiding giveaways in the midfield not be too tall a task for United; the talent and ability are there and as a fan, I’m still convinced that the game against Montreal was a fluke. Nick DeLeon will not regularly put shots 20 yards over the goal often and the midfield battle is one which United has become accustomed to playing on at minimum even terms. United will come out on top in another rain game, topping the Houston Dynamo 3-1 with goals from Rolfe and Espindola leading the way.
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