Nick De Leon and Zoltan Stieber are expected to help lead a rejuvenated D.C. United in 2018. The question is: where will they play (photo credit: Nelson Lucindo)
2017 Record: 9-20-5, last place in the Eastern Conference
Coach: Ben Olsen
Key Additions: GK David Ousted (Vancouver Whitecaps), DEF Frederic Brilliant (New York City FC), MID Junior Moreno (Zulia), MID Ulises Segura (Saprissa), MID Yamil Asad (Velez Sarsfield/Atlanta United), FWD Darren Mattocks (Portland Timbers)
Key Departures: GK Bill Hamid (FC Midtylland), FWD Chris Rolfe (retired)
The Big Question: Who will start up top?
It is no secret that D.C. United struggled to find the back of the net last season, scoring just 31 goals last season which was tied for the lowest in Major League Soccer. In the offseason the club made a flurry of moves including picking up Darren Mattocks from the Portland Timbers and Yamil Asad on loan from Velez Sarsfield by way of Atlanta United.
The gamble that Olsen is making is that a platoon of Mattocks (1 goal in 2018) and a healthy Patrick Mullins (five goals in 2018), coupled with Asad opening up play more for Luciano Acosta, will give D.C. more attacking chances. While the latter sounds certainly feasible the former is a dicey move. Neither Mattocks nor Mullins have consistently shown themselves towards being a dependable striker throughout their careers. With Mattocks it seems more like the opportunities just haven’t presented themselves whereas with Mullins injuries have certainly played their part.
Olsen seems to be hedging his bets that his depth in the midfield can help override any inconsistencies in the attack. That strategy worked in 2016 when the club scored 53 goals from Acosta’s wizardry as a CAM and the wing play of Lloyd Sam and Patrick Nyarko. Asad and Paul Arriola are certainly upgrades over those two but the Eastern Conference has improved defensively since then so more pressure will be on Mattocks and Mullins to produce.
David Ousted will be contending with Steve Clark for United’s starting goalkeeper spot in 2018 (photo credit: Nelson Lucindo)
Area to keep an eye on: Goalkeeper.
Goalkeepers often don’t get put into the conversation of Most Valuable Player but make no mistake about it: Bill Hamid was United’s MVP for the better part of the last decade. While David Ousted and Steve Clark are certainly very reliable and dependable goalkeepers neither possesses the physical skills that Hamid does. That in turn shifts their defensive philosophy especially in road matches where the result is close. Center-back Steve Birnbaum needs to do more this season in terms organizing his defense and clearing out chances for D.C. to make a playoff run.
Outcome: Sixth place
There is a lot to like about United, especially with their depth in the midfield and with some of the pieces that they have along the back four. But having to play twelve of their first fourteen matches away from the DMV will hurt their chances in 2018. If they can make it out of the first half of the season still in the thick of the playoff race they might give some teams a scare. But given the questions up top and between the posts it would seem that they are another year away from pulling things together.
MLS
DC United
