This Week FC Dallas head off to Utah to face Real Salt Lake. No, I’m not going to comment about the Mormon stereotype if you promise to stop believing we’re all cowboys. While no one would argue that anything like a fierce rivalry exists in the minds of FC Dallas fans about this game, there are still some heartfelt emotions at play this week.
First of all is Jason Kreis, beloved all-time leading Dallas Burn scorer. We all love Jason Kreis.
And then there is Dema Kovalenko. Dema is possibly the most hated MLS player of all time from the perspective of FC Dallas fans. You see, Dema was originally drafted by the Dallas Burn out of Indiana University and then demanded to be traded to the Chicago Fire. Dallas complied and Dema repaid them by first breaking the leg of fan-favorite Brandon Pollard, effectively ending his career, and then later breaking the leg of Ronnie O’Brien. The irony is Jason Kreis was on the pitch for both of those instances.
FC Dallas fans love Juan Toja. Please keep your Dema away.
And then there is Kyle Beckerman. Beckerman has been part of three Colorado Teams that have upset Dallas in the playoffs. Let me just say this: Kyle Beckerman’s flowing locks represent playoff failure to FC Dallas fans. I can assure you more than one prayer for divine justice upon Mr. Beckerman’s knees has been uttered by otherwise rational and decent human beings who just happen to support FC Dallas.
Oh, and let us not forget The Plastic Pitch. No one, and I sincerely mean no one, will be happier for the new stadium to reach completion with it’s glorious new digs and – best of all – real, honest to God, grown, maintained natural pitch. By the way, congratulations to you all – nice job getting the stadium financed and built. The pictures appear to show an awesome stadium in an absolutely picturesque location that has many of us thrilled for you.
So Dallas needs a win. After a solid start to the season, we saw our boys go down against the New England Revolution reserves. Then we journeyed out to Northern California to come away with only a point against the Earthquakes. Now, we need a win; two points from the last nine will not do. Many FC Dallas fans’ current sanity rests upon a positive result in Salt Lake. Trust me; FC Dallas fans are pretty sure they won’t be able to receive MLS Joy from depending on Houston to continue to be 2008’s Biggest Flop. But, my dear God, it would be so sweet.
With all the emotional stuff out of the way, let’s take a look at who and what FC Dallas is likely to bring onto the FieldTurf of Rice-Eccles. FC Dallas have mainly deployed a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3 formation this year. In the back, new addition Duilio Davino anchors a defense that has given up only five goals in six matches, three of those against Hated Houston in one match alone. You almost forget Davino is out there. He has a definite lack of speed, but his positioning is exemplary and he has been very quick to adjust to MLS speed.
In midfield, new addition Andre Rocha, on loan from Brazilian sister club CA Paranaense, plays centrally on the right. Rocha is still getting his MLS legs, but seems to show something new each match. The central combination of Rocha and Pablo Ricchetti is vital to the FC Dallas possession and counter-attack game. Leading the charge forward in midfield is Juan Carlos Toja. Toja is just fun to watch, and he is the key to the FC Dallas attack. Unfortunately, he is lacking in fitness so far this season and his form has been down from last year.
Another player to watch is Dax McCarty, a player you will cheer for. Seriously. Maybe not Saturday, but this summer he will be the kid with the red hair who is literally all over the pitch for the U.S. U-23’s at the Olympics. Dax has been playing wide right for Dallas, but is now hampered with a sports hernia that should seriously limit his minutes. He most likely will not start.
Up front, Dallas features 6’3” Kenny Cooper and the speedy and left-footed Arturo Alvarez as his foil. Cooper leads the team in goals, but often drifts out wide far enough that many of you in the lower seats will be closer to Kenny than Kenny is to the goal. Kenny, play the damned central channel already!!!
And, finally, left-wing has been a bit of a mess for us this year. David Wagenfuhr was slotted in as the starter, but began complaining of headaches shortly after a pre-season friendly with CA Paranaense. Apparently, David’s got concussion syndrome and his career hangs in the balance. Blake Wagner has worked hard, but had very mixed results in taking over. Wagner has tremendous speed and good moves, but he’s young and still very mistake prone.
So, offensively, FC Dallas has been very mixed. They are very dangerous with the long-ball over the top. However, possession has been an issue. And even when possession has been maintained, creating chances in the final third has been iffy at best. The Dallas offense has been both very good and very bad moving off the ball and some of us are wondering about overall team fitness. This leads to an insane number of balls played from the back. Some of us scream.
And now the part you’ve been waiting for (already)… my projected line-up:
-------------------------Sala----------------------------
-------Moor----------Davino-----------Serioux----------
----Rocha-----Ricchetti-----Saragosa-----Wagner-------
--------------------Toja--------------------------------
------Cooper-------------------------Alvarez-----------
Note: Rocha moves wide right with McCarty limited. And I could be wrong
