Finding the right balance

'Caps train in preparation for D.C. United

I have said before that we need to take some of our home form on the road and I thought we did that in our last away game versus Seattle.

There is no doubt you have different challenges when you travel, and we will have that this week in DC with the heat and humidity, so you have to adjust accordingly. But a number of things we do at home must be replicated when we travel.

At home, for the most part, we have found the right balance that has eluded us on the road. We are a team with lots of attacking options going forward, which we have used to our advantage at BC Place.

Sometimes on the road we have been too open and have been caught giving up some bad goals. On the other hand, in other matches we have been too defensive and not played our game.

If we can be solid defensively, stifle DC United, and retain good possession going forward we may just find that right balance to get another win on the road.

Reunion time, but save the hugs for after the game

Kyle Porter scores his first MLS goal against Sporting KC

I’m sure after the game there will be some hugs and good banter with a number of D.C. United players that were once playing in Vancouver.

Alain Rochat, John Thorrington and Kyle Porter will tell everybody that this is just another game, but don’t kid yourself, they would like nothing better than to put one over on their old employers and ex-teammates.

Porter has been one of D.C.'s best players this season, and two veteran players in Rochat and Thorrington will look to be leaders in driving their team forward to another victory.

United are on a bit of a roll right now and it is the U.S. Open Cup that has given them a lift. They will be a bit fatigued after beating New England on Wednesday night.

With little rest, they will especially need that boost from these players with something to prove. If we can keep them quiet, it will go a long way to getting control of the game.

Back-to-back POTW winners

Camilo gives the 'Caps the lead against Chivas USA

I know we can’t rely on Kenny Miller and Camilo scoring every week, but we need to ride their form for as long as we can.

I’m sure every time these two players lace up their boots they expect to score. Getting them into the game as much as we can will put D.C. on the back foot.

You cannot expect to get as many chances on the road as yu do at home, but we have to feel confidence that if one falls to Kenny or Camilo it’s going to be buried. We need to be aggressive when we have the ball, as our strength right now is in our attacking play.

Giving our back-to-back MLS Player of the Week winners chances on goal is our best way of getting a positive result on Saturday.