Some folks are starting Substacks, some folks are taking their podcasts independent, but I’m going back to where I started: rambling on WordPress in case anyone wants to read it.

I’ll be writing some about D.C. United this year; not game threads or recaps or anything like that, but formations, rumors, off the field intrigue, MLS financials, all those sorts of good things. So, if that seems like something you’d like to follow, here’s where I’ll be.

Haboush was signed in February to be a contender for the central attacking midfielder position and started the first game of the season in that position; however, when Joseph Ngwenya was signed in April, any opportunities for playing time were severely limited. With Nate Robinson now in Finland, Haboush leaving for Lebanon, and an unknown number of changes still to come to the team, it will be a wild offseason for the Kickers. However, it does please me to see Kickers’ alums moving up in the soccer world, which both shows the talents of Leigh Cowlishaw as a coach and the respectability of the Kickers as an overall organization. Best wishes to Haboush in Beirut!

It is becoming more and more likely that Robinson’s first season will become his only season in the River City, with D.C. United and the New  York Red Bulls also offering trials to Robinson. If Robinson does not make the jump overseas, there will be MLS opportunities for him.

The Railhawks have stumble at bit in their last few games, now sitting 7 points behind the New York Cosmos in the race for the second spot in the Soccer Bowl with four games remaining. Former Richmond Kickers head coach Colin Clarke, who now coaches the Railhawks, will have a tough time getting his club back near the top; however, they do have a chance against the Cosmos tomorrow night. I am all for rooting against any and all New York based soccer teams, so hopefully the Railhawks can pull off a win and hopefully their Richmond Kickers loanees can help them do so.

Delicate only became a starter down the stretch for the Kickers, when Michael Seaton was dealing with injury and being recalled to D.C. United, after battling injuries in 2012 as well. In his only quote about the situation, Leigh Cowlishaw mused that other teams can afford to pay higher salaries than Richmond can, and it is in exactly this spot where the Kickers benefited so greatly from the MLS-USL Pro relationship. If the Kickers re-sign Deli at a higher salary and then D.C. United wants to send Michael Seaton (or another striker) down for more experience, the Kickers have wasted their money. Another year of that relationship will allow the Kickers again to get good players for free from MLS and being able to spend that savings to improve the rest of their roster.

It would be strange to see Deli in a different uniform (even though he was with Rochester for three years), but I wish him the best of luck in his post Richmond career.

Mike Callahan is a tenacious defensive midfielder who is best at breaking up play, serving as an outlet for the rest of the players on his team, and playing the short, safe pass to keep possession. This past season with the Kickers has been his best so far, and has been the first season in which Callahan has been healthy the entire time. It is also a homecoming for him, having grown up in Cary, North Carolina. We will keep you updated on Callahan’s progress with the Railhawks.

By this time next week I will be engulfed by snow in Finland! Peace ‘Merica. #Trials #soccerlife

— Nathan Robinson (@Nate_R7) September 26, 2013

This trial comes after training stints with D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls. In addition, Kickers’ captain Henry Kalungi recently announced that he will be  going on loan to the Carolina Railhawks for the rest of their fall season. It is always good to see Kickers players getting chances in other leagues, even if it means that they might not be back to help the Kickers in the following season. I will keep you updated on the progress of these situations, to see if anything happens from them.

The first bit of news from the Kickers offseason is that Shane Johnson, standout centerback, has been resigned to a multi-year deal. On the surface, this seems a little strange to me; Johnson played  very well throughout his first season, besides when he was injured, and he could be in line  for a move up the ladder in the coming years. Although it is rare, players have made transfers directly from the lower leagues of American soccer to MLS; the more typical route is that an out of contract player gets offered a trial and then signs with an MLS team. For an example, Osvaldo Alonso, currently a fixture of the MLS Best XI team, had his rights purchased by the Seattle Sounders from the Charleston Battery. But playing time is key and Johnson will definitely get playing time in Richmond. In a few years, he may be moving up.

A second bit of news is that the Richmond Kickers will be holding open tryouts in February and March. Unlike MLS, which holds a draft in January, USL Pro (and NASL, for that matter), allow teams to sign whichever players they can get. For the Kickers, these tryouts have produced such notable names as Ronnie Pascale and Clyde Simms. These sessions will take place after the USL Combine, which takes place in Bradenton, Florida, January 24-27.

Finally, a number of key players have retired. As was well expected, Ronnie Pascale has officially retired, having been a mainstay with the Kickers for the past 12 years. In addition, midfielder Nozomi Hiroyama has also announced his retirement. And while it has not been announced, I would expect Mike Burke to return to retirement after having been called back during a shortage of midfielders. That is a lot of experience leaving the team, and we wish them all the best in their furture endeavors.

Keep your eyes open for more offseason USL news, coming next week, which includes expansion and a rumored MLS-USL partnership.

Every point is important now, and getting 3 of them at home is critical for the rest of the season. The Kickers are in a dogfight now, and they are competing with 5 times for three playoff spots. They haven’t missed the playoffs since 2003 and doing so this year would be a disaster. I know that I keep harping on this, but it is true; this is a team that is used to being at the top of the league. If they can build off of last weekend, however, the team is in a good position for a late season run that cements their place in the playoffs. Here’s hoping, anyways.

Game Time: 7:00pm

Video: As with all Kickers home games, there is no streaming video.

Lineup: With no news about Long Tan or Ethan White so far, I am adjusting the predicted lineup as though neither of them will be available. That gives us something like this

Pascale
Goerres Kalungi Yeisley Johnson
Heins Dos Santos Vercollone Fogelsong
Delicate Agorsor

Prediction: As with last week, nothing less than 3 points is acceptable. 2-0 win for the Kickers, with goals from Delicate (breaking the Kickers all-time scoring record) and Vercollone.

What are you drinking: No drinks tonight, as I am in the press box. However, I have whiskey of some sort or another waiting for me after the game..

As for all game, there will be live blogging after the jump. Feel free to join in!

So here is the lineup for the game: Pascale, Yomby, Johnson, Kalungi, Yeisley, Vercollone, Dos Santos, Goerres, Heins, Davies, Agorsor. No Tan or White, and Delicate is on the bench.

The Kickers are running out the all center back defense again, which worked to great effect last week.

The Dutch Lions are playing their third game in four days, so its just another reason that the Kickers need to win this game.

A little rainy and grey here tonight as we start the game, but it looks like the heavy weather will stay away.

1′ Agorsor streaks down the right hand side, with the Dutch Lion clearing for a corner kick.

3′ Williams catches a Goerres cross, but the Kickers are looking solid early.

4′ Kalungi is looking a little chippy in the right back spot tonight.

7′ Goerres and Vercollone line up over a free kick; Goerres takes, but it is cleared to midfield.

9′ Ball is pinging around the midfield, with little danger so far. A run by Kalungi to the top of the box is snuffed out.

11′ A run by Sascha Goerres who cuts open the Dutch Lions defense with a low shot, whose rebound is buried by RYAN HEINS! 1-0 Kickers!

14′ Jason Yeisley is pulled down from behind, but the Lion doesn’t get carded.

15′ A nice buildup by the Kickers is called offside.

17′ Yomby looking much better tonight than in previous outings; comes over to cut off a semi-dangerous run.

20′ Agorsor fights through the two centerbacks and gets half a chance, which the keeper kicks clear.

21′ Bardsley, who pulled Yeisley down by his hair before, just fouled him hard again. Still, no card.

24′ Apparently the Dutch Lions had more ejections than goals last year; something worth remembering as this game gets chippier. Garner gets to the endline, but his cross is into Pascale’s hands.

25′ Agorsor is one on one with the keeper again, but is called off.

28′ Good interchange between Kalungi and Agorsor on the right side, but the final pass is called off.

30′ Almost looks more like a 4-3-3, with Goerres, Vercollone, and Dos Santos playing centrally, and Davies, Agorsor, and Heins playing higher.

31′ Dutch Lions getting some pressure around the Kickers’ box, but no shots on goal yet.

33′ Davies first tick on the game sheet is a yellow card, looking like it was for dissent. The ensuing attack gives the Dutch Lions their first corner. Their crossing has been poor, and both the corner and the rebound cross are off target.

35′ Davies with a lovely cross from right to left that picks out Heins; his shot is just wide.

38′ Yeisley runs a clearance forward, but the Dutch Lions recover it.

39′ When he gets the all, Davies is showing flashes of class.

40′ Vercollone blocks a hard shot at the top of the box.

42′ Kalungi is locking down the right side, and frustrating Garner in the process.

42′ Yomby gives a weak foul about 30 yards from goal; he looked to have gotten just the ball, but the ref thought otherwise.

44′ Agorsor goes one on three in the box, and almost pulls it off.

45′ 1 minute of stoppage time in a chippy first half. Garner tries to draw a penalty, but the ref gesticulates widely to tell him no. And that’s the half!

Halftime: Looks like Elcock is getting ready to come in. And its confirmed; Elcock will be coming in for Davies, whose premier is over. The DDLs have a sub as well: Jeff DeGroot coming in for Shane Smith.

46′ And we’re back!

48′ And confusion reigns! it looks like Sascha Goerres had a goal, but Agorsor is called offsides for standing off when the shot was taken; however, the AR did not call it offside, the center ref came back from behind to call it. The Dayton keeper is also given a yellow.

52′ Yomby also went down during that whole scrum, but he is back in now.

53′ Agorsor is an offsides machine right now. The press box thinks that he has been off four times now.

55′ It is remarkable that the only Dutch Lion to get a card is their keeper so far. That won’t last.

56′ Kickers with the better of possession so far this half, and deserve another goal.

57′ More insanity, as Heins is chopped down with a scissor kick which is not called. Bardsley goes down 20 yards from the Kickers’ goal, but the foul is called on him. DDL sub coming, with Robison coming in for Knotell.

61′ DDL has some dangerous possession, but poor passing has prevented any shots from being put on target.

63′ Great block by Yomby blocks away a shot from the top of the 6.

64′ Triple change coming for the Kickers: Agorsor, Heins, and dos Santos. Delicate, Durkey, and Hiroyama.

67′ This half has been more open, but sloppier as well. DDL getting some better chances, but still can’t get any of them on frame.

69′ Hiroyama with a cross that Elcoock gets his head to, but Williams makes a nice one handed save to push it over the bar.

70′ Burke with some good footwork to tackle the ball and diffuse an attack.

73′ Johnson with a back pass to Pascale under pressure, but it is cleared by the veteran keeper.

74′ Its a good thing that the Dutch Lions can’t keep shots out of orbit, or the scoreline might be different.

75′ Deli got held up in the box, could have been a shout for a foul. Kissinger out, Bartels in. After a free kick for DDL, Pascale is limping. After some time down, Pascale is back up and play resumes.

80′ Two shots by the Kickers, Hiroyama and Kalungi, are parried by the DDL keeper.

81′ Burke with a nice run and cross, but Elcock’s shot is skied over the bar.

83′ Delicate with a beautiful breakaway, but pushes his potential record breaker wide.

84′ Delicate with a penalty shout called off, and then another penalty shout called off in the Kickers’ box. Delass gets a yellow card for dissent.

86′ Elcock with a cross into Delicate, whose header is barely pushed wide. He wants this record, and he wants it at home.

88′ Vercollone with a bad giveaway, but Yomby helps him out  and nothing comes of it. Also, Burke still has the mad skills on the ball.

89′ Delicate is taken down in the box! Penalty kick opportunity for a record! For more dissent, Bardsley was given a red card and sent off.

90+ AND THATS THE RECORD! 64 goals for Matthew Delicate, and the Kickers are up 2-0!

90+ And that’s the end of the game, with your Richmond Kickers winning 2-0! My full match report will be forthcoming.

This will be the match where we found out if the offensive explosion mounted against the Riverhounds was a sign of this team turning the corner or if it is just a sign of how poorly the the Riverhounds played in that match. Leigh Cowlishaw’s lineup choices will depend on what players he has available, particularly whether or not the on-loan players from D.C. United will be around for this game. Personally, I think that Long Tan will again be loaned to the Kickers for this match as well as most of the rest of the matches of the year, barring an injury crisis up I-95. Ethan White, however, is a bigger question; D.C. United’s starting right back, Robbie Russell, is injured and likely to be out for at least a month. United have only one true fullback on the bench, Chris Korb, and their emergency right back, Andy Najar, is currently in London with the Honduran Olympic Team. All of that is to say that I would not be surprised if United kept White at least until the Olympics are over.

With that in mind, here are my predictions for the starting lineup this weekend:

Pascale
Johnson Kalungi Yeisley Goerres
Heins dos Santos Vercollone Fogelsong
Tan Agorsor

I know that Long Tan hasn’t been officially re-loaned to the Kickers, but I am thinking he likely will; if not, Matthew Delicate will start in his place. I am also hoping to get a look at Phillippe Davies in this game, especially if what has been said about him is true. Ideally, I would like to see him come in at around the 60th minute for Gerson dos Santos and keep the game from turning into the disjointed slog it was last week after dos Santos left.

As for a prediction? I am going to go with a 2-0 victory of the Dutch Lions, keeping the Kickers on track for a playoff spot. What do you all see?