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MLS Draft Team Recap: D.C. United

DCU_Primary_COL

By MIKE NASTRI

D.C. United got its man. In a turn of unexpected events, Perry Kitchen fell to United with the third overall pick. United followed up its selection of the current U.S. U-20 captain with another Akron player, fullback Chris Korb. DC finished off its draft by trading into the third round to select goalkeeper Joe Willis of Denver.

SBi was able to catch up with both Kitchen and new DC head coach Ben Olsen during the draft. Our video interview is after the jump:

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/18763338 w=440&h=292]

SBI Superdraft Coverage: Ben Olsen from Soccer By Ives on Vimeo.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/18763661 w=440&h=292]

SBI Superdraft Coverage: Perry Kitchen from Soccer By Ives on Vimeo.

Comments

  1. and how did that new stadium and money pan out last year…embarrassed at home by San Jose.

    Crawl back to the Swamps you MLS Cup 2008 Participant.

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  2. Olsen and Kitchen have now confirmed that the plan is to pair him with Jakovic. That has several implications….

    1. It’s a very young central pairing. But that makes Jones as the first sub off the bench for central defense plus others (McTavish, Brasesco) available. For Kitchen, this is probably his quickest path to the USNT…we’ve got an aging defense and our top 3 center backs (Bocanegra, DeMerit and Oneywu) either aren’t returning or probably have one more WC in them. Central mid though–that’s a traffic jam.

    2. Brasesco probably moves to right back.

    3. The speculation of Dax McCarty as an A-mid was misplaced (he’s never really played that role). So McCarty probably plays a central role. I bet he’s still paired with Boskovic. Unless the team plays a 4-2-3-1 (which I think is a factor of who the “1” ends up being).

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  3. You know, I’ll give you points there. That’s actually a reasonable argument for the United name. I was thinking in ourely soccer terms.

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  4. Agreed! If Ethan White and Matt Kassel were eligible for the draft this year as opposed to signing homegrown contracts (Kassel is apparently close to doing so) that would have been three picks in the top 10 for Maryland. Probably knocking one of Akron’s out of the top ten.

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  5. Agreed…Why is everyone so focused on him playing in the midfield? I don’t put much faith in an 18 year old anchoring our back line, but other than age and experience, he seems to have everything that we have needed in a central back and team leader since Ryan Nelson left.

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  6. I could see Simms going elsewhere. Who will play right back, assuming Marc Burch starts at left back and Brasesco starts in the middle next to Jakovic? We could see this formation though:

    —————-Hamid——————–
    ??????—–Brasesco—-Jakovic——Burch
    Najar——-Boskovic—-McCarty—–Quaranta
    ————Pontius—–Wolff————

    I don’t see Kitchen starting from the first game, unless he comes into camp firing. The problem does lie in who makes way for him: Wolff or Pontius and convert to a 4-5-1? Or Quaranta, who was poor last year but great in 2009?

    It is a good problem to have.

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  7. Kitchen will be a CB with DCU. It is where he plays with the U-20 team and where we need him to partner with Jacovic.

    I find it a bit humerous that the fans of a ‘NY’ team that plays well out in Jersey is talking smack about a Wasington team potentially being in B-More, but whatever. I do wish we had a stadium, but this team does not deserve a new one yet. EARN IT WITH WINS.

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  8. I wanted kitchen on the west coast.. But after thinking about it, what better teammate to befriend Najar and drag with him to a USMNT camp in 2012.

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  9. Uhh… DC is the capital of the UNITED States… the stadium dig makes sense but come on, if any American team is going to be named “United” it should be DC.
    Make fun of the Wizards and Redskins, because United fits in with the Nationals (and Senators) and Capitols.

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  10. It’s okay with me. It’s been 5 years. We’re used to it. What are you guys “United “against anyway? Bathing? Playing in a nice stadium?

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  11. Personally, I don’t think Simms fits in at all. My guess is he will be part of a big trade in weeks to come. Simms has been a big part of this team for a few years now and I like him, but I think its time to move on.

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  12. I hope the NY fans enjoy being named after an energy drink company because that’s what their team is going to be called forever now.

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  13. Isn’t this a great problem to have? Not knowing how to employ all of our good players. Certainly something we haven’t seen in DC for a few seasons now.

    I’m excited for the Benny era!

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  14. One thing we know for sure: They won’t be adding Schelotto to the mix. He signs with his old Argentina side. DCU is going to have to find someone to create some offense — probably from within — and they’re still going to have to find a reliable finisher, probably from without.

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  15. There are definitely myriad possibilities. Where does Simms fit in? Will Kitchen even be in the midfield, or will he be a defender? Do Quaranta and/or Pnntius make the starting lineup — if so, where? And, what to do with Boscovic? Do they start with the formation and try to plug in the pieces or let the peices determine the formation?

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  16. Kitchen is a great pick but then it was pretty hard to miss when you’re picking in the first 3–lots of good talent.

    I don’t automatically count on Kitchen to start. DCU has a pretty bad midfield last year. They added Boskovic at midseason, they’ve drafted Kitchen and traded for McCarty. Those are 3 big additions. But it’s still unclear how they get used:
    –442 (with two holding mids)?
    –4-2-3-1 (with McCarty and Kitchen as the two defenders)?
    –Boskovic plays left outside mid (like he does for his NT)?
    And what of Clyde Simms (who has been one of the team’s better players in the past 3-4 years)?

    DCU is still a finisher and possibly a defender from being a strong steam. But Kitchen gives them a midfield with some depth now…Olsen just needs to figure out how he wants to structure that midfield.

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  17. Total can’t mess it up pick for DC. But Tielor2 seems to think that McCarty is now free to attack, which is wrong. Dax isn’t a playmaker. He’s a very good holding midfielder, but he’s hardly the type to carry the ball forward and make killer passes. DC will definitely improve on last year’s results, but they lack players who can move the ball through a defense. They really need either a winger who can complement Najar or a creative offensive midfielder.

    They shouldn’t finish bottom this year, but they’re a few players away from a playoff slot.

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  18. New name for Akron Univ: The MLS Academy @ Akron.
    Amzing to have 7 players drafted from one school!! Definitely a new standard in college soccer

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  19. Yea, McCarty should be very pleased. He has the sort of controlled defensive partner that can allow him to freely attack defenses. DC has a chance to turn around in a big way.

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  20. This could be an exciting midfield to watch this season. With Dax and Perry in the middle and Andy on the wing there is a lot of quality there.

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