Magic was harder to reach for Rooney's second year at DC United

WASHINGTON: Last summer, the Wayne Rooney effect was very real for DC United.

With the former captain of England aboard, the last part of the season was full of joy and joy, comparable to long summer holidays.

The Black and Red were 11-2-4 to qualify for the playoffs, a feat that seemed beyond DCU earlier in the season.

The defeat in the first round playoffs against Columbus Crew seemed to be only an obstacle to United's comeback in the league's elite.

Ten games in 2019, the magic, for both Rooney and the team, was harder to lock. There were periods of dynamic play, mixed with the return of DC in his own half for long periods.

The inconsistency is such that a glance at the Eastern Conference standings has something twofold. The difficulties, including the 4-0 home defeat of LAFC, remain etched in the memory. Yet DC United is tied for first place in the conference alongside Philadelphia Union and the Montreal Impact.

DC hosts Columbus on Saturday (8 pm ET or 8 am Singapore time on Sunday) in hopes of staying in the foreground in the East.

"It's weird that we're still in first place in the East," said DCU defender Steven Birnbaum. "It's not what we feel for us because we've had some bad losses, we're in a good position, but we think we can be much more advanced."

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It should be noted that United has been dealing with a normal schedule instead of the heavy slate that he had enjoyed during the last half of 2018. The number of outside team members has been injured, which forced a change of training. a training effect throughout the team. For this reason, DC manager Ben Olsen does not hurt the current state of his team.

"I think if you asked me in January if I would take 17 points at this point in the season, I would probably agree with that," he said. "It has been a bit difficult for the last two weeks and we have made progress."

The same was true for Rooney. The second year has always been linked to different challenges. The trip will be felt more vividly. The teams know a little better how Rooney and Luciano Acosta – Robin at Rooney's Batman – work. But in terms of numbers, Rooney continues, with five goals and three assists in nine appearances. Its value in the locker room remains in solid gold.

"I think that's what makes Wayne happy," Olsen said. "This is not a guy who differs from one day to the next, from one week to the next or one season to the next. He does what he does, he is a good teammate, he is engaged in the process, he is engaged with his teammates, that counts for him, he is competitive, he shows himself to be the training or in the games.And he plays.He is respected by the group.People want to know: has he changed? it's more or less the same thing. "

Still, Rooney has undoubtedly been a victim of the injury virus, Chris McCann and Joseph Mora. These injuries forced Olsen to leave with three central defenders at the back. The backs were more difficult to participate in the attack, which led Rooney and Acosta to sometimes find themselves isolated.

There has also been a bit of superhero syndrome, where Rooney – and, to a lesser extent, Acosta – should save the situation.

"One of our problems is that we have to threaten the space behind in order to free Lucho and Wayne now," Olsen said. "Sometimes we put too much emphasis on the offensive production of these two, and now we need to find ways to get out in other areas on the ground, with other players and positions to pose a real threat to the other teams. " release what we think is a very good duo ".

There are also other factors. Birnbaum assumed that the teams had been more physical with Acosta this season in order to disrupt the pace of DCU, and the numbers comfort him. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Acosta would have been charged 2.40 times per game this season, up from 1.97 in 2018. The contract situation of Acosta – his contract is in effect at the end of the season – is also looming .

DC United has managed to break out of this track, although an exchange reveals that Olsen is eager to regain the form and style that motivated the club last season, even during the first weeks of the 2019 campaign. on Friday signed a contract to acquire club back Marquinhos Pedroso of FC Dallas. This will allow United to return to a four back row.

"We certainly consider (Pedroso) as this type of player, it's his best place on the field," said Olsen about the presumptive left-back. "This gives us the opportunity to go back until Joseph (Mora) comes back, and then it's also important to have two good guys at every post." I think (trade) we permits."

Yet, DCU is in a different year, a different place, a different state of mind, even though many faces are identical.

"I think we just had more urgency towards the end of last year and knowing that if we did not win this game, we would be out of the playoffs," Birnbaum said. "So, I think it's what we miss: urgency and energy."

Maybe with these additions, the Rooney effect will make its comeback.

This article was first published on ESPN.com.