D.C. United is easily the deepest team in MLS, says the Washington Post, with the best record in the league, and more than one player at every position, writes the Washington Post. Even Alecko
Eskandarian knows he isn't guaranteed starting place, as coach Peter Nowak has an abundance of depth in his squad and isn't afraid to use it. Ben Olsen, a U.S. national team member in his 9th year
with the club, just returned from the World Cup to find his starting spot up for grabs. Healthy competition for starting spots is something players at big European clubs like Chelsea experience on a
daily basis throughout their careers. As midfielder Clyde Simms says, "You can't go into one single practice thinking you have a spot on Saturday. It's good for the team because everyone takes every
practice like it's a real game and you're fighting for a job." This is a good thing; it indicates some of the better teams in MLS are putting more competitive pressure on their players. With just two
losses all season, and 19 points ahead of New England, the second-place team in the Eastern division, D.C. United is starting to look like an American version of Chelsea. Regarding his newcomers,
Nowak said: "You look at Clyde, you look at McTavish and Mediate and the others, you say you have to trust these guys. There are still a couple things we have to polish, but we can trust them, we can
trust all 27 guys. This is what they appreciate and they know when we call them, they are going to be ready." United will feel they have something to prove after being dumped out of the playoffs in
the first round last year. They've been impressive so far this year, not the least of which was a fine performance against Scottish Champions Glasgow Celtic on July 12, in which 10 substitutes
contributed to a resounding 4-0 thrashing.
Read the whole story at The Washington Post »
