A graphic from today's Washington Post article on United's fast start. Though Nowak drives me nuts, all credit to him for taking his best athlete and designing a scheme that floats between a 3-5-2 and a 4-4-2. As long as DCU can keep Gros and Olsen and Carroll on the field, this will work. Once injuries and suspensions and Olsen's time in Germany w/USMNT break it up, we'll see.

The defense will be tested tomorrow v FCD, a team with not only the ugliest kits in professional soccer but whose star striker, Carlos DP Ruiz KILLS, absolutely KILLS DCU: last year, in regular season, FCD beat DCU at RFK 2-0, the second goal on a Ruiz bicycle kick that was voted Goal of the Year in MLS. But what really hurt was his scoring the tying goal in a Cup semi out in Germantown in the last 30 seconds of second half stoppage. United, shorthanded by injuries, down to 10 men because the dearly loved but relentlessly stupid Dema Kovalenko took a red, never threatened in overtime and looked pathetic in shootout, losing 4-1. Fuck Carlos DP Ruiz.

Oh, if you have Gol TV, flip to the channel as often as you can in the next couple of days. They broadcast this UEFA Cup semi between Steaua and Middlesbrough and will be rebroadcasting it often; one of the most remarkable games I've ever seen. The last 20 minutes were fabulous - if you watch this game and still don't get soccer, Oh well, you're not going to.