Preseason favorites D.C. and Houston still struggling

Back in the sweet bliss of preseason ignorance, most of us were convinced that the 2007 Major League Soccer regular season was merely a transport device.

It was simply a vehicle that would deliver Houston and D.C. United into the November final.

Oh, David Beckham would provide a party along the way, adding glamour, razzle-dazzle and TV ratings to the campaign, while Dominic Kinnear's men from South Texas marched inexorably toward their championship date with Tom Soehn's club from the nation's capital.

But eight weeks in April and May have shown what a wrongheaded notion that was. Red Bull New York has turned into the league's featured attraction, while something has obviously broadsided Houston and D.C. United.

The two perennial favorites have five wins in 15 matches between them. The total wouldn't be that high if not for the pair's meeting this weekend. A game that made for an interesting Saturday afternoon in muggy air of RFK Stadium, where these flocks of lost sheep strained desperately to find their way.

And by the looks of it, United is much closer to accomplishing that difficult mission.

D.C. emerged a 2-1 victor. And the manner of the victory was instructional, as the home team won off efficiency and effort. Houston lost because its two difference makers shrank beneath the occasion.

Houston was equal in creating chances. But United had a little extra bite to its game, a little more of an edge -- the cornerstones of better things to come. Soenhn's men seemed to recognize that winning through "wow" will not work. They must earn their place through attention to detail, effort and proper dedication to roles.

Soehn has helped matters through his own flexibility. Simply put, his preferred 3-5-2 wasn't working. So he moved Josh Gros to left fullback in a 4-4-2 and everybody appears more settled for it. Facundo Erpen continues to be erratic, but he's no longer hopelessly erratic -- and that's a major victory.

Although curtailing all those dreadful defensive giveaways is certainly D.C.'s most expedient path to success, getting things aligned and adjusted in the midfield is also imperative to the team's longer-range interests. And that seems to be happening.

Removing the extra man from midfield has opened up things a bit, enough to provide Christian Gomez with additional operating room. Now the wily playmaker can impose tempo by himself. With fewer teammates around to complicate matters, he can mash the accelerator when he wants, or find the lateral passing channel when a more deliberate approach looks advisable. He did so Saturday, no minor feat against hungry Houston midfielder Ricardo Clark.

Gomez and United defensive midfielder Brian Carroll look more comfortable now.

That quick recognition of where the other is going and when they'll be there is critical. It allows Carroll to perform his role with clarity and provides Gomez the freedom to ad lib when he wants. Plus, it helps get Ben Olsen and Fred settled on their sides.

Players have gotten comfortable doing what they do best -- and aren't stumbling over themselves attempting stunts and heroics they have little chance of accomplishing.

As for Houston, it's not that the defending champs are performing particularly poor. In fact, some things are right in place. Clark, for instance, is doing about all he can do. But when the money men -- Brian Ching and Dwayne De Rosario -- aren't performing, gloom and doom can't be far behind.

For Kinnear's side, flank midfielders Brian Mullan and Brad Davis are doing pretty much what they've always done. They work hard to get the ball, diversify their attacks adequately and drop in a few good crosses each game. They did exactly that against United -- but watched Ching inexcusably blow two glowing chances from inside the six-yard box.

And there's the rub. If Ching can't score from five yards when unmarked, then everyone else will soon listen to the destructive voices that say, "I've simply got to do more, or we won't win a game this year."

Complicating Ching's lack of finishing is De Rosario's dramatic decline in form. Be not fooled by the score sheet, which showed the Canadian international striking for his third goal of the season Saturday. It was a worthy finish. But "De Ro" isn't doing enough presently.

Minutes before notching that goal, De Rosario missed a penalty kick. (Some credit for that should go to Troy Perkins who stretched superbly to get the most intrepid of fingertips on the attempt, directing it to bang loudly but safely off the post.) The moment was highly symbolic, Houston was pressing hard and making United sweat, but came away with nothing to show for its efforts.

Houston dominated New England and Toronto in its previous outings, but couldn't find a goal in either match and lost 1-0 in each. De Rosario is clearly frustrated, having just collected his second consecutive caution for dissent.

On his game, De Rosario widens eyes every time he touches the ball and turns menacingly toward the defense. Perhaps the ongoing contract kerfuffle is boxing in De Rosario's creativity. Or perhaps he's just not confident at the moment. Either way, his presence is quite benign, and that's a big reason Houston has taken just seven of a possible 24 points this year.

Otherwise, Kinnear's men aren't altogether terrible. Pat Onstad remains adequate in the net. The defense has allowed just seven goals. Ryan Cochrane and Eddie Robinson have been solid enough in the middle that Kinnear can get away with putting a midfielder, Richard Mulrooney, at right back. That's giving the Dynamo a little more offensive push up the right side.

But the details matter. And that's how United is righting the ship and how Houston keeps taking on water.

For instance, Gomez's early free kick was deadly in its accuracy. Meanwhile, Davis' corner kicks are falling consistently short or too near goal. And De Rosario failed to put a free kick on frame from 19 yards.

Houston still has time to sharpen the details in a Western Conference that clearly lacks an Alpha Dog. But Kinnear must move fast, and use a June that's rife with international absences to identify players willing to fill roles and focus on details. Speedy rookie Corey Ashe looks like a candidate.

At some point, Kinnear must stop deferring to reputations and ask himself simply: Who is and isn't getting the job done right now?

Steve Davis is a Dallas-based freelance writer who covers MLS for ESPNsoccernet. He can be reached at BigTexSoccer@yahoo.com.