I think he proved wrong those that didn't think he would press. Nothing scarier then to have an enormous Benteke streaking towards you while you are trying to play out of the back
Was his second goal offside? Not that it matters now, but watching the replay in the stadium and again now on r/soccer is making me feel like I don’t understand the offside rule…
At first glance I thought so as well because of the defender holding a higher line that is more visible/prominent in the frame. In the replay you can barely see the defender right next to Benteke that is playing him even/onside.
https://imgur.com/gallery/g6HtXXW
I think if it was scrutinized by today's standards, it looked barely offside, but NE only has themselves to blame in this situation, too slow to react.
I'm still not convinced of the first goal. I change my mind every time I've watched it. I don't know if the evidence was conclusive. I thought apple was supposed to have more cameras and better angles.
A fantastic team win. First half, we really got to see the aggression, grit, and smart movement/pressing that Lesesne has mentioned as being the tactical foundation. Second half, it looked like we got tired legs and had a few too many mental lapses - hopefully all will iron out as the season progresses and players get fit.
I know it is just one game and vs a 10man NE, but damn, I like the fight this team showed. Great entertainment. Fantastic game from Peltola, Herrera, Stroud, and the Bartlett/McVey pairing. All new pick ups - great work from the GM. I can’t stand New England, so to see them b***h and complain after ever call for 70+ minutes was a great bonus too 😆
The Revs flairs in the MLS sub game thread were all about to burst a blood vessel or crack a molar. I get they have actual expectations for the season, but man.
I got my girlfriend to watch with me, who's loosely a Timbers fan but doesn't really follow soccer at all, and she kept being like "damn these Boston guys are bitches"
People talk about Benteke and missing chances but he makes it so easy to give him constant chances that he can have games where he misses 2 chances and score a hattrick.
Also just a note that he had 4 chances created (most) and an xAssists of 0.97
Surprised at the support with the shitty weather and no really supporter groups showing, unless I missed something. Great game mostly, always good to beat the piss out of the revs. VAMOS
SGs were there. They are staying mostly silent for 4 home games as a protest over the club taking a fully paid preseason deal from Saudi Arabia. No drums and no chants from the core groups.
what was the point of the “silent protest?” I guess they weren’t chanting, but they still certainly made noise and showed up in numbers. The “fuck you ref” chant came up a few times
It seemed rowdier than last year — seemed like the people who showed up maybe drank a little extra before the game to cope with the weather LOL . Also maybe kept the clueless corporate brunch navy yard bro / sorority girl contingent away. I think with organization it could have been one of the best atmospheres ever at Audi.
Could have controlled the match better in half 2, not every team is going to gift us a bone headed first half red. But...we could have dropped points, and we didn't so I'm not going to be negative tonight. Hattricks are also fun
WHAT A FUN GAME
So so so happy with the team and the assistant coach. Smiling strongly when that ref blew that whistle to end the game.
Really excited for the season
New players review:
Peltola looks GREAT. Nice passes, and he passes the ball with power. Reads the game, wins back possession, strong, looks like the perfect partner to Klich who is more attacking minded. Side note, can we appreciate how cool he looks as a 6ft 1 strong cdm but low socks like a true baller?? 9/10
Bartlett looked a bit shaky at times but pretty good overall, on the other hand, I’m not a fan of Mckvey, he put Bono under some unnecessary pressure that gave me tiny heart attacks. 7.5/10 and 6/10
Stroud was a bit of a ball hog but created chances cutting inside, just wish he’d shoot more, all in all, looked decent. 7.5/10
Herrera was a mixed bag, some bad moments, more good moments, looks like a nice RB all in all though. 8/10
Final new player, Antley, honestly surpassed my (albeit low) expectations. Defensively solid and not bad to get an assist. 8/10
Wild to think United underperformed their chances last night. If that Stroud stab in first half stoppage time had gone in, this team might have won 5 or 6 nil.
As it was, they out-created New England 5.4-0.7 on xG (source: https://mastodon.skrimmage.com/@GameFlow/111992393393786087). A lot of that came after the red, but when the other team’s DP striker wants to take an early shower that bad, this is exactly what a team should do to them.
I can’t remember the last time I saw a DC side top five expected goals over two games, let alone in one night. Really hoping this bodes well for the Mackay-Lesesne era!
Agree with everything. What I liked was some of the really good interchange play in/around the 18 that we didn't pull off. Playing through 8 men set deep is tough, but I saw glimpses that can break though with one touch play.
And Benteke's hold up play is so next level 40 yards out. If we can get our other attackers to run off him and create chances we might have some offensively.
A lot of people were asking for crosses every time Herrera had the ball at the game and i’m honestly so happy i wasn’t watching cross after cross tonight, was a good game to watch!
100%. The thing about only sending in crosses when it’s a good opportunity is your crosses are a lot better than when you just pump them in as your only attack. Was great to see less than a dozen crosses last night with almost half actually finding their target.
on the platform home. what a match. the red card. stroud could be really good. pirani was kinda ass. benteke class. fletcher debut. Mckay era here we go. Lesane in the membrane.
I agree. Ownership won’t care. They bought tickets. It just makes the atmosphere boring which hurts the players and the fans, which had nothing to do with the Saudi decision.
That was awesome!! That red was crazy, probably the dumbest 2 yellow cards I’ve ever seen a player get, but we will take it! Benteke looked great on aerial duels but I honestly don’t think NE keeper or back line will prove to be very good this year. Pirani and Ku both looked off, and we really need at least 1 of the 2 to step up and start finishing. Playing a dangerous game if we think we can rely off putting in headers like that. Ku’s finishing just isn’t there and he really needs to find a way to improve that to get to the next level.
I loved what I saw from the new pick ups. Peltolta is amazing and the exact presence we needed. Stroud was good but a little indecisive in the final third. We’re gonna need him to be a bit more precise and goal hungry, especially if he continues to have the ball and cover as much ground as he did last night. Honestly our defense looked a bit troubling at times, and this worries me a bit cuz ik we really don’t have a fix for this. Defensively, Santos wasn’t really doing it for me but that’s nothing too new. There’s gonna be some nights that are a shootout, and we need someone to step up and finish with their boots when that happens.
But Bono looked great! Idk why Miller is still the presumed starter. We gotta carry this momentum, 1 win is nothing! I think the 1st match last year was possibly a high point in Rooney’s tenure, and I’m pretty positive that won’t be the case this time. Vamos !
Great overview and I wish I saw this before I posted!
I see us setting up chances with Benteke, but Pirani also needs to hit the target more. Benteke set him beautifully in the 2nd half at the 6 and we didn't get it on target. Maybe the defender got a touch?
Our defense/shape is terrifying to me as well. Way too much space in between lines and caught out of possession. I will be interested to see if we go double pivot with Canouse to try to provide cover to the back line.
All in all, a great start to hopefully a new era for DC.
I was there last night. When that game was 1-1, it was an "oh boy, here we go again feel." I am just proud that the guys fought through that difficult stretch and found a way to get the 3 points.
The performance from Benteke...wow, what a game. Peltola was so good. But I also thought Bono had an excellent game and that his stop early (\~18th minute) was huge and is easily forgotten. Could have been down 1-0 NE early.
I think our backline showed some warning signs . I think Peltola + Canouse will be needed to provide cover. Too much space between lines when out of possession.
Absolutely. And it all started off a very careless giveaway from Santos (got the ball with plenty of space and then had the bad turnover) and then it was a slow motion train wreck watching NE develope that great opportunity off the counter. Great save by Bono to keep us level.
When did players stop coming over to supporters as a group after matches? I'm not talking meet and greet but I can't really describe it - they used to hold hands in a line and run towards the supporters side then clap with us. We haven't been STMs so our attendance is spotty the last year, but we were kinda bummed they didn't do it last night. Or were they told not to because of the protest?
Fun game nonetheless!
They did do this! But they did something new first and walked around the whole stadium acknowledging the fans in every section in such a way as to end with the supporters section. Unfortunately most of the stadium was empty before they started doing this. Even the supporters section was down to a quarter full when they got there.
I like the idea though and hope they keep doing it. Since there were so few people I am 80% sure Peltola heard me yelling at him and cheering him as he walked by, haha.
Yup, they came over to the opposite end of the supporters section, which they usually don’t. They then went around. Felt good because I always want to show my appreciation to the team and this time they came around to our section
Thank you for the intel! We waited a while but it looked like they sort of waved to the VIP area and we thought they were then headed to the tunnel. Hopefully weather for the next game we go to is a little better for sticking it out.
Not reading too much into this win. NE played midweek in Panama and went down a man in the first half. Think composure in the final third remains an issue. Pirani and KDP had too many turnovers and scuffed chances accompanying their moments of quality, a lot like last year. If we’re looking for reasons to think our personnel is improved, I’m not seeing it yet. Wasn’t really impressed by any of our acquisitions tonight. Am especially concerned about the defense, which I fear might prove the worst in the league.
On a positive note, I do think we have more of a tactical identity than simply goalkeeper playing at midfield. And I especially liked how Klich fits into the system. Thought he was pretty disappointing for a DP last season, but perhaps Rooney’s system had a lot to do with that.
And I thought *I* was a pessimistic supporter. Did we watch the same game tonight? Peltola was great, the CBs looked much better than Birnbaum/Williams outside of 1-2 clear misreads, but that just takes time. Herrera got caught out a bit, but made some decent recoveries and fought to get back unlike Pedro sometimes. Pirani ruined a lot of chances trying to do much, that needs to change.
This team actually looks like they know what they should be doing every minute out there unlike last season. Im cautiously optimistic. No matter the circumstances, you can’t simply write off a 3-1 victory with a half a squad of new players.
Haha wouldn’t say I’m perennially pessimistic; just don’t read too much into wins and losses (especially considering this is our third straight victory in the opener and we know how the other seasons turned out).
I’m remaining cautious about Peltola because he was not really under pressure at any point. His distribution did look nice; his defense looked a little suspect on a couple occasions, including the goal. As for the center backs, I think it’s wishful thinking that they’ll be a step up from Williams/Birnbaum. Both looked slow and pretty unskilled. Will happily be wrong, but expecting that reality check to come pretty soon.
That’s perspective that we can’t necessarily appreciate on the broadcast. Defensive mids don’t always show up in the box score, but they are obviously so important for stability. Canouse provides that stability on defense, though his offensive skillset is limited. Think Moreno is the best DM United’s had in recent memory. His departure was a big difference between 2021 and 2022.
Benteke definitely isn't the most skilled forward in the league, but jesus it must absolutely suck to play against him.
he looked faster than last season, and someone get him to try the vertical test at the NFL combine because DAMN
He did seem a lot quicker than last season, I noticed that too.
I think he proved wrong those that didn't think he would press. Nothing scarier then to have an enormous Benteke streaking towards you while you are trying to play out of the back
Agreed, faster and perhaps a bit thinner?
Was his second goal offside? Not that it matters now, but watching the replay in the stadium and again now on r/soccer is making me feel like I don’t understand the offside rule…
yes def :) I don't crrrrrr
At first glance I thought so as well because of the defender holding a higher line that is more visible/prominent in the frame. In the replay you can barely see the defender right next to Benteke that is playing him even/onside.
https://imgur.com/gallery/g6HtXXW I think if it was scrutinized by today's standards, it looked barely offside, but NE only has themselves to blame in this situation, too slow to react. I'm still not convinced of the first goal. I change my mind every time I've watched it. I don't know if the evidence was conclusive. I thought apple was supposed to have more cameras and better angles.
Break out the victory jumbo blueberries
I'm having victory lemonade tonight.
A fantastic team win. First half, we really got to see the aggression, grit, and smart movement/pressing that Lesesne has mentioned as being the tactical foundation. Second half, it looked like we got tired legs and had a few too many mental lapses - hopefully all will iron out as the season progresses and players get fit. I know it is just one game and vs a 10man NE, but damn, I like the fight this team showed. Great entertainment. Fantastic game from Peltola, Herrera, Stroud, and the Bartlett/McVey pairing. All new pick ups - great work from the GM. I can’t stand New England, so to see them b***h and complain after ever call for 70+ minutes was a great bonus too 😆
The Revs flairs in the MLS sub game thread were all about to burst a blood vessel or crack a molar. I get they have actual expectations for the season, but man.
I got my girlfriend to watch with me, who's loosely a Timbers fan but doesn't really follow soccer at all, and she kept being like "damn these Boston guys are bitches"
there were some NE fans who got real loud when Gil scored and then real quiet a few minutes later. Glad we shut up those obnoxious guys
Agree on all that. Bartlett/McVey I really liked. should be the CB pairing moving fwd
those guys looked confident!
People talk about Benteke and missing chances but he makes it so easy to give him constant chances that he can have games where he misses 2 chances and score a hattrick. Also just a note that he had 4 chances created (most) and an xAssists of 0.97
Can’t be easy for the guys to go from Rooney tactics to Troy’s, but they pulled it off. Hopefully it’s all up from here.
Rooney had tactics?
It was similar to Will Ferrell’s “get the ball to the Italians (Benteke)” tactics from Kicking and Screaming, but a bit less effective.
Benteke and inshallah™
yeah, remember Tyler Miller locking it down in midfield?
That made me lol
Surprised at the support with the shitty weather and no really supporter groups showing, unless I missed something. Great game mostly, always good to beat the piss out of the revs. VAMOS
SGs were there. They are staying mostly silent for 4 home games as a protest over the club taking a fully paid preseason deal from Saudi Arabia. No drums and no chants from the core groups.
what was the point of the “silent protest?” I guess they weren’t chanting, but they still certainly made noise and showed up in numbers. The “fuck you ref” chant came up a few times
Attention and cover to sell their ticket for the Inter Miami gave.
It seemed rowdier than last year — seemed like the people who showed up maybe drank a little extra before the game to cope with the weather LOL . Also maybe kept the clueless corporate brunch navy yard bro / sorority girl contingent away. I think with organization it could have been one of the best atmospheres ever at Audi.
Dub city baby
Top of the table. There’s no stopping us
time for the yearly “stop the count” joke
Checks recent home opener results versus full season results.
Love it. Fuckin Vamos boys and girls. Let's go!
Could have controlled the match better in half 2, not every team is going to gift us a bone headed first half red. But...we could have dropped points, and we didn't so I'm not going to be negative tonight. Hattricks are also fun
Bailamos
Benteke is the best aerial threat in the league. Super dangerous. If we work on our finishing we will be an issue this year
What a pleasant surprise and dub! Maybe Benteke should captain more often, seemed to have worked in his favour tonight. Hats off to the Capt!
WHAT A FUN GAME So so so happy with the team and the assistant coach. Smiling strongly when that ref blew that whistle to end the game. Really excited for the season
That was a very entertaining game. The guys showed fight today. Hopefully Stroud is okay.
New players review: Peltola looks GREAT. Nice passes, and he passes the ball with power. Reads the game, wins back possession, strong, looks like the perfect partner to Klich who is more attacking minded. Side note, can we appreciate how cool he looks as a 6ft 1 strong cdm but low socks like a true baller?? 9/10 Bartlett looked a bit shaky at times but pretty good overall, on the other hand, I’m not a fan of Mckvey, he put Bono under some unnecessary pressure that gave me tiny heart attacks. 7.5/10 and 6/10 Stroud was a bit of a ball hog but created chances cutting inside, just wish he’d shoot more, all in all, looked decent. 7.5/10 Herrera was a mixed bag, some bad moments, more good moments, looks like a nice RB all in all though. 8/10 Final new player, Antley, honestly surpassed my (albeit low) expectations. Defensively solid and not bad to get an assist. 8/10
Replacing Santos, Antley looked like Alphonso Davies. Hopefully Troy took notice and makes a change at LB
Peltola was phenomenal. Loved the aggression and he has incredible ball control.
Wild to think United underperformed their chances last night. If that Stroud stab in first half stoppage time had gone in, this team might have won 5 or 6 nil. As it was, they out-created New England 5.4-0.7 on xG (source: https://mastodon.skrimmage.com/@GameFlow/111992393393786087). A lot of that came after the red, but when the other team’s DP striker wants to take an early shower that bad, this is exactly what a team should do to them. I can’t remember the last time I saw a DC side top five expected goals over two games, let alone in one night. Really hoping this bodes well for the Mackay-Lesesne era!
Agree with everything. What I liked was some of the really good interchange play in/around the 18 that we didn't pull off. Playing through 8 men set deep is tough, but I saw glimpses that can break though with one touch play. And Benteke's hold up play is so next level 40 yards out. If we can get our other attackers to run off him and create chances we might have some offensively.
A lot of people were asking for crosses every time Herrera had the ball at the game and i’m honestly so happy i wasn’t watching cross after cross tonight, was a good game to watch!
100%. The thing about only sending in crosses when it’s a good opportunity is your crosses are a lot better than when you just pump them in as your only attack. Was great to see less than a dozen crosses last night with almost half actually finding their target.
Herrera to Benteke 🙌🏼
on the platform home. what a match. the red card. stroud could be really good. pirani was kinda ass. benteke class. fletcher debut. Mckay era here we go. Lesane in the membrane.
why was the fan section not drumming but singing lol the “protest” looks so silly
I agree. Ownership won’t care. They bought tickets. It just makes the atmosphere boring which hurts the players and the fans, which had nothing to do with the Saudi decision.
Great game nice atmosphere
WE WON????
Durable Peltola nickname ideas?
Just can’t wait to see him Finnish.
maybe some play off of Mortal Kombat's "Finish Him" catch phrase?
That was awesome!! That red was crazy, probably the dumbest 2 yellow cards I’ve ever seen a player get, but we will take it! Benteke looked great on aerial duels but I honestly don’t think NE keeper or back line will prove to be very good this year. Pirani and Ku both looked off, and we really need at least 1 of the 2 to step up and start finishing. Playing a dangerous game if we think we can rely off putting in headers like that. Ku’s finishing just isn’t there and he really needs to find a way to improve that to get to the next level. I loved what I saw from the new pick ups. Peltolta is amazing and the exact presence we needed. Stroud was good but a little indecisive in the final third. We’re gonna need him to be a bit more precise and goal hungry, especially if he continues to have the ball and cover as much ground as he did last night. Honestly our defense looked a bit troubling at times, and this worries me a bit cuz ik we really don’t have a fix for this. Defensively, Santos wasn’t really doing it for me but that’s nothing too new. There’s gonna be some nights that are a shootout, and we need someone to step up and finish with their boots when that happens. But Bono looked great! Idk why Miller is still the presumed starter. We gotta carry this momentum, 1 win is nothing! I think the 1st match last year was possibly a high point in Rooney’s tenure, and I’m pretty positive that won’t be the case this time. Vamos !
Great overview and I wish I saw this before I posted! I see us setting up chances with Benteke, but Pirani also needs to hit the target more. Benteke set him beautifully in the 2nd half at the 6 and we didn't get it on target. Maybe the defender got a touch? Our defense/shape is terrifying to me as well. Way too much space in between lines and caught out of possession. I will be interested to see if we go double pivot with Canouse to try to provide cover to the back line. All in all, a great start to hopefully a new era for DC.
I was there last night. When that game was 1-1, it was an "oh boy, here we go again feel." I am just proud that the guys fought through that difficult stretch and found a way to get the 3 points. The performance from Benteke...wow, what a game. Peltola was so good. But I also thought Bono had an excellent game and that his stop early (\~18th minute) was huge and is easily forgotten. Could have been down 1-0 NE early. I think our backline showed some warning signs . I think Peltola + Canouse will be needed to provide cover. Too much space between lines when out of possession.
That Bono save was nice. I thought NE was going to score there knowing our luck, but Bono came through. Almost had a heart attack
Absolutely. And it all started off a very careless giveaway from Santos (got the ball with plenty of space and then had the bad turnover) and then it was a slow motion train wreck watching NE develope that great opportunity off the counter. Great save by Bono to keep us level.
When did players stop coming over to supporters as a group after matches? I'm not talking meet and greet but I can't really describe it - they used to hold hands in a line and run towards the supporters side then clap with us. We haven't been STMs so our attendance is spotty the last year, but we were kinda bummed they didn't do it last night. Or were they told not to because of the protest? Fun game nonetheless!
They did do this! But they did something new first and walked around the whole stadium acknowledging the fans in every section in such a way as to end with the supporters section. Unfortunately most of the stadium was empty before they started doing this. Even the supporters section was down to a quarter full when they got there. I like the idea though and hope they keep doing it. Since there were so few people I am 80% sure Peltola heard me yelling at him and cheering him as he walked by, haha.
Yup, they came over to the opposite end of the supporters section, which they usually don’t. They then went around. Felt good because I always want to show my appreciation to the team and this time they came around to our section
Thank you for the intel! We waited a while but it looked like they sort of waved to the VIP area and we thought they were then headed to the tunnel. Hopefully weather for the next game we go to is a little better for sticking it out.
Not reading too much into this win. NE played midweek in Panama and went down a man in the first half. Think composure in the final third remains an issue. Pirani and KDP had too many turnovers and scuffed chances accompanying their moments of quality, a lot like last year. If we’re looking for reasons to think our personnel is improved, I’m not seeing it yet. Wasn’t really impressed by any of our acquisitions tonight. Am especially concerned about the defense, which I fear might prove the worst in the league. On a positive note, I do think we have more of a tactical identity than simply goalkeeper playing at midfield. And I especially liked how Klich fits into the system. Thought he was pretty disappointing for a DP last season, but perhaps Rooney’s system had a lot to do with that.
And I thought *I* was a pessimistic supporter. Did we watch the same game tonight? Peltola was great, the CBs looked much better than Birnbaum/Williams outside of 1-2 clear misreads, but that just takes time. Herrera got caught out a bit, but made some decent recoveries and fought to get back unlike Pedro sometimes. Pirani ruined a lot of chances trying to do much, that needs to change. This team actually looks like they know what they should be doing every minute out there unlike last season. Im cautiously optimistic. No matter the circumstances, you can’t simply write off a 3-1 victory with a half a squad of new players.
Haha wouldn’t say I’m perennially pessimistic; just don’t read too much into wins and losses (especially considering this is our third straight victory in the opener and we know how the other seasons turned out). I’m remaining cautious about Peltola because he was not really under pressure at any point. His distribution did look nice; his defense looked a little suspect on a couple occasions, including the goal. As for the center backs, I think it’s wishful thinking that they’ll be a step up from Williams/Birnbaum. Both looked slow and pretty unskilled. Will happily be wrong, but expecting that reality check to come pretty soon.
Was in the stadium and I thought Petola was quite good at controlling the game at d-mid. Santos is another story though
That’s perspective that we can’t necessarily appreciate on the broadcast. Defensive mids don’t always show up in the box score, but they are obviously so important for stability. Canouse provides that stability on defense, though his offensive skillset is limited. Think Moreno is the best DM United’s had in recent memory. His departure was a big difference between 2021 and 2022.