Examining the State of D.C. United's Roster
After a 2021 season that ended with D.C United finishing one point shy of the playoffs, there was much optimism surrounding the team heading into this year.
Gone were the days of “Bennyball,” a term used to describe the boring, defensive style of play employed by former coach Ben Olsen. They were replaced by Hernan Losada’s high pressing scheme, designed to generate goal-scoring opportunities. So United did just that, finding the back of the net 56 times in 34 regular season games, which put them only behind the New England Revolution (65) and Sporting Kansas City (58) in terms of total goals scored.
Fast forward to now. The outlook is more bleak. Five games into the season, United is near the bottom of the league in goals scored, having only managed to hit the back of the net five times, two of which were penalties.
Compounding the angst amongst the fanbase is the team’s schedule. Its season opener was against league newcomers Charlotte FC. Its ensuing games were against the three teams that finished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference last year, Cincinnati, Toronto and Chicago.
This was supposed to be the perfect start to the season, an opportunity for the team to pick up “easy” points, and for new players integrated into Losada’s system.
Instead, United is 2-3 and already looking like a strong favorite to finish outside the playoffs in a much-improved Eastern Conference. With that in mind, here are three thoughts on the team, particularly as it pertains to the state of the roster:
1. There is a lack of top-end talent
A good place to begin the search for things that have gone wrong is the club’s lack of top-end talent. This past winter, two of United’s best players, Paul Arriola and Kevin Paredes, departed; Arriola ended up in Dallas after requesting a trade for family reasons, while Paredes earned a transfer to Wolfsburg in the German top flight.
As United’s sole Designated Player (DP) heading into the season, Edison Flores was supposed to shoulder some of the creative and goalscoring burden, yet he’s barely even offered a glimpse of his quality this season. Perhaps the most telling sign of Flores’ struggles came when Losada pulled him in the 67th minute of the game versus Chicago with United trailing by a goal.
In those moments, when your team is behind, especially at home against a playoff rival, you need your big, high-priced players to step up and produce a moment that will bring life to the team and its supporters. Flores was nowhere to be seen, though, and it’s hard to argue with Losada’s decision to sit him out. The truth is, the clock is ticking on Flores’ time in the nation’s capital. If he wants to return in 2023, he must start performing now.
Fortunately for the club, a second DP, Taxiarchis “Taxi” Fountas, is on his way sooner than initially anticipated. Having signed a pre-contract in January that would’ve allowed him to join in July, United coughed up a reported couple hundred thousand dollars to bring him in now. Though he’s currently awaiting his work visa, he’s expected to make his debut on April 16 versus Austin FC. Once cleared, the club is hopeful that he could provide a necessary spark to the attack.
2. There is no threat off the dribble
One way that Fountas could add that spark is by serving as a threat off the dribble, something United has lacked thus far. This was perhaps most apparent in the first half of its recent game versus Atlanta United, in which the team was consistently able to progress the ball to the top of the box, only for the play to break down. There was nobody to make that incisive move to break down the defense.
Last year, that guy was the aforementioned Paredes, whose ability off the dribble won United numerous penalties. With Paredes’ replacement, Brad Smith, much more reliant on straight line speed and combinations with teammates, United now needs someone else to step up and make those plays.
Perhaps that player turns out to be Nigel Robertha, whose work in the gym during the offseason has given him a much stronger frame to shield the ball from defenders. He showed glimpses of that against Atlanta, though one game is hardly anything to go by.
It could also turn out to be Andy Najar, who revolutionized the right center back position with his underlapping runs on and off the ball last year. Every time he drove into those pockets, defenses would cave inward, opening up acres of space on the right flank for players like Julian Gressel.
This year, Najar hasn’t been as dynamic going forward, though, which is likely due to the footage opposing teams have now. Finding a way to get him more involved in the attack should be one of Losada’s priorities.
3. The new midfield is encouraging, but the sample size is small
United recently addressed its shortage of central midfielders by bringing Chris Durkin back to the nation’s capital. After spending two and a half years at Sint-Truiden in the Belgian first division, the Virginia native returned to the club that gave him a contract at the age of 16 and made his first appearance almost immediately.
During his first stint with United, he was a defensive liability who lacked a true position. His ability to open up the game by hitting pinpoint long diagonals gave many the impression that he’d turn out to be a Michael Bradley-esque defensive midfielder. However, Durkin often looked lost when playing that position, unaware of what was going on behind him. Needing the game to be played in front of him at all times, some thought he projected more as a center back.
If Durkin’s first game back is anything to go by, he’s become a much different player. Playing as one of two box-to-box midfielders in the 3-5-2 formation that Losada opted for, he appeared much more comfortable in his tall, lanky frame, more aware of how to use his body. He appeared rangier and more tenacious, covering lots of ground and winning 11 duels in his 75 minutes on the field.
Partnering Durkin in central midfield in his first game were Russell Canouse and Sofiane Djeffal. Though Canouse has enjoyed much success as a defensive midfielder, Losada opted to push him higher alongside Durkin, while Djeffal sat deep as a single pivot.
This wasn’t Djeffal’s best game by any stretch of the imagination, but there’s no doubting his legitimacy. Having been selected with the 36th pick in this year’s MLS SuperDraft, the 22 year old has been the team’s best player through five games. His talent has been on display since his first appearance, when he added a spark in central midfield immediately after entering the game in the 64th minute. With one of his first notable plays of the game, Djeffal shimmied away from a defender before hitting a long diagonal into space for Griffin Yow. He had a few deft touches in tight spaces in Zone 14 (the area in front of the box) to keep United on the front foot. He demonstrated his “robust physical ability” that the front office raved about in the buildup to the season by counter-pressing effectively; there were a few occasions on which United turned the ball over only for Djeffal to immediately step in and force a turnover in his team’s favor.
Though the early returns on Djeffal and Durkin seem encouraging, it’s worth remembering that the sample size is incredibly small. Just look at Moses Nyeman, the 18 year-old who started last season brightly. He earned eight starts and played a total of 665 minutes between the start of the season in April and the end of July.
From the beginning of August until the end of the season, however, he played a mere 136 minutes, failing to register a single start after August 15th due to injuries and poor form. If limited minutes this year are anything to go by, that poor form seems to have carried over. He’s now fourth on United’s midfield depth chart, squarely behind Canouse, Durkin and Djeffal. Nyeman must step it up if he is to reach his ceiling as an eight figure transfer to a club like Borussia Dortmund (where he has trained in the past).
—
Despite these issues, it’s important to note that United has time to turn things around. The club has more than 80% of the season left to play and intends to improve its roster in the summer, including the addition of a third DP. Until then, however, Losada and his team must find a way to recapture some of last year’s magic.
If not, their season could be over before long.