Despite a disappointing 4-2 loss to the Montreal Impact in the Knockout Round of the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs, D.C. United players and fans can look to the future with optimism after a promising second half of the regular season.
After a lackluster beginning to 2016, key trades in the transfer window, players discovering their form and finding a collective team identity helped spark the D.C. United attack.
Acquiring the likes of goal-scorer Patrick Mullins and proven MLS winger Lloyd Sam in July helped propel the team forward and played a major role in the team becoming the most lethal MLS offense in the final fifteen matches of the regular season (35 goals).
“I think it was our acquisitions,” said midfielder/defender Nick DeLeon in regards to the team’s midseason turnaround. “They were a big part of it. It’s about the time we got Patrick Mullins and Lloyd Sam who added some dynamics to the attack and that’s the time when the goals starting coming as well.”
A lot of the team’s success in the second half of the season can also be attributed to midfielder Luciano Acosta adapting to the physical and mental demands of MLS. The Argentinian's acclimation understandably took time, but once he found his feet in the league, his craftiness and ability to create in the final third led to a team-high 11 assists and a newfound creative edge to the Black-and-Red attack.
“For guys like Lucho [Acosta], guys that are coming in who have never seen it, there is learning curve and it takes a while. I think they realize how physical and demanding from an effort standpoint the league is,” D.C. United captain Bobby Boswell said about newcomers to MLS. “Once [Acosta] figured that out, he settled down and let his natural talent take over. That’s why he is the guy that he is now.”
Additionally, Lamar Neagle proved his pedigree with a string of high-flying performances in the final stretch of the regular season and his competitive nature added a new edge to the Black-and-Red offense. The 29-year-old was a game changer for Ben Olsen and he scored six goals in the final nine games to take his tally to nine on the season, best on the team.
Across the board, the one factor that differentiated this year’s D.C. United team for players was how close-knit the relationships were in the Black-and-Red locker room. In order to ingrain a collective never-say-die attitude, the team relied on captain Bobby Boswell along with other MLS veterans like Sean Franklin and Marcelo Sarvas to bring the team together behind closed doors and create an atmosphere that encouraged cohesion both on and off the field.
“I think the relationships [are great],” veteran midfielder Marcelo Sarvas said about what was different about this United team compared to other teams that he’s been a part of. “I think that what brought our team to the playoffs was the healthy relationships that we had in the locker room.”
Moving forward, United fans, players and coaches have a lot to look forward to for the 2017 season. With key pieces falling into place, the Black-and-Red are playing an attractive style of soccer that captivated fans and analysts across the league toward the tail end of the season. After bowing out early in the MLS Cup competition, players will look to learn from the mistakes made in 2016 and approach the new season with a new hunger and desire to succeed.
“I think optimism should be the keyword for this group going forward,” Boswell said. “There’s a lot of talent and there’s a lot of guys that are finding their cohesiveness. Any time you have a guy like Lucho [Acosta] on the field anything can happen and you’ve got a guy scoring goals like Patrick [Mullins]. Some of the newcomers and veterans have found their form and understand each other so there’s definitely a high ceiling for this group.”
“If we add to what I think is a very good nucleus, hopefully we’ll be able to put together the types of performances that we did in the second half over the course of a full year,” head coach Ben Olsen said. “I think we’ll be more familiar with each other and we can use this to build from."
