For all of D.C. United’s emphasis on bolstering a sputtering attack this past offseason, the start of 2016 looked a whole lot like the end of 2015.
After United was ousted from the postseason with back-to-back shutout losses to the New York Red Bulls, the club added veteran attackers Lamar Neagle, Patrick Nyarko and Marcelo Sarvas, traded up to draft Syracuse standout Julian Buescher, and splashed the cash for Argentine playmaker Luciano Acosta.
But after Ben Olsen’s club kicked off the new campaign with just four goals from seven matches in all competitions, the revamped attack has kicked into high gear in recent weeks — including a 4-0 thrashing of the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 9 and a 3-0 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday.
“It was probably time,” midfielder Nick DeLeon said. “We were getting the chances before that, but we just weren’t putting them away. We work more on defensive shape, we work more on building relationships with the players next to you, and then the finishing will just come.
“We’re at the point now where we’re starting to get some good results and we’re starting to put the ball in the back of the net.”
United (2-3-3) will need to shake things up in the attack when the team travels to face the Chicago Fire (1-2-3) on Saturday, with Sarvas serving a one-match suspension and co-leading scorer Fabian Espindola sidelined by a minor hamstring strain.
“Now we have to change the group up a little bit, and that’s exciting,” Olsen said. “We’re going to find out about another level of who we are.”
While Jared Jeffrey is the likely replacement for Sarvas in central midfield, Olsen faces a welcome headache when it comes to filling Espindola’s void up top.
Veteran target forward Alvaro Saborio, who came on for Espindola against New England, has recorded three goals as a substitute this season, but Acosta also has made a strong case for more minutes, having contributed two assists off the bench in the win over Vancouver and a stunning chipped goal during his 19-minute cameo against New England.
“That’s why the team has as many numbers as it does — there are guys that are champing at the bit to get on the field, and that obviously keeps us going,” Neagle said. “When it comes to such a long season and into the playoffs, you definitely need that depth.”
Acosta provides Olsen with a particularly intriguing dilemma. As United’s prized offseason acquisition, the speedy midfielder-forward started the first three MLS matches of the year but has been relegated to a reserve role since mid-March.
Although Acosta has provided a skillful spark off the bench alongside Saborio, Olsen has preached patience as the 21-year-old looks to develop more consistency and chemistry.
“We’re going to continue to work with him and get him where we want him to be in certain other aspects, but this is normal stuff,” Olsen said. “How many foreigners have come into this league and they don’t jump into the starting lineup? But they have a lot of talent and they’re exciting and they’re most likely going to play a huge part over the next few years with this team.”
Further bolstering United’s cause is the wide-open nature of the Eastern Conference, which presents a forgiving environment for teams looking to rally from sluggish starts.
While United would find itself toiling near the bottom of the Western Conference, the club sits fifth out of 10 teams in the East — just four points behind the first-place Montreal Impact.
“Obviously, it’s nice for us because we had a slow start,” Neagle said. “That always comes up every single season with every single team — you have a dip. For us, it came early because we had so many changes in the offseason, but it’s looking up.”
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