All the discussion about D.C. United’s game tonight has been about Wayne Rooney, Audi Field, and the ongoing supporters group dispute with the team. It’s easy to forget that United actually has to play another team in the middle of all that, and they can’t afford to overlook the Vancouver Whitecaps, who despite a very up-and-down season are currently in a playoff spot out west.
We’re used to seeing Eastern Conference opponents high-press and keep the ball on the ground quite a bit, and that’s not at all Vancouver’s game. Carl Robinson has his team sit deep in two rows of four, and plays classic long-ball soccer without apology.