Jonathan Lewis scored and overall had a pretty good game for the Rapids. Strung together a lot of key passes. Still needs to become more decisive. A lot of reliance on athleticism and skill still.
Brian Reynolds now has two games in a row and looks surprisingly good. Small minutes so far but he’s only 17. Thomas Roberts looked the best I’ve seen him too and looks more comfortable. Also 17. Still wonder if Pepi gets some minutes by the end of the year. He’s got to be better than Cobra.
It doesn't look like they even signed him yet. What are they waiting for? He appears ready physically and could jump ship to Europe or a major Mexican club. Reportedly received no shortage of intrigue in spite of an inconsistent u-17 display.
Anyone care to predict what FC Dallas’s starting 11 looks like once players return from the U20 WC? Pomykal obviously gets his spot back. Cerillo should get his back, although if Servania continues getting starts for the U20’s does he get his spot back? Does the return of all 3 push John Roberts and Bryan Reynolds back to USL?
Purposefully signed a two year USL deal with low $$$ so he had the option to leave without that 4 year MLS contract around d his neck. Although I am sure FCD is putting major pressure on him. Probably camped outside his house 24/7.
A very interesting observation is the difference of opinion on Servania and Cerrillo between Luchi and Tab. This team actually needs a shakeup. I'm not sure if Dan Hunt's talk about bringing in players the second half of the season will pan out but the veterans and DP types they have aren't good enough. The HG's are becoming their best players even at a young age and the FO needs to upgrade the few players they bring in to supplement them. Badji is better at wing than forward but is just OK, I'm not sure Cobra is better than Pepi right now and Mosquera and Arranguiz just don't seem to have it for what the team is counting on from them. If FCD could upgrade two of those spots soon and combine once everyone is back they might go somewhere.
FCD has huge problems over the next several weeks They have to worry about that first!! Cerrillo, Pomykal, and Servania all with the US U20s. Grueso called up to Copa America. Bryan Acosta called up to Gold Cup. And now Aranguiz has been called up by the Chile U23s for the Revello tournament. Mosquera, who can play as a #10, is still out injured (out 3 weeks or so). If the US U20s make the knockout phase of the World Cup, there are some games for FCD that are looking like a big problem. Folks should give Luchi a lot of credit for releasing all of these players, because its put their team in a real bind. It looks like Thomas Roberts is going to HAVE to make a couple of starts in a row. Roberts and Hayes are really the only midfielders left. I will NOT be surprised if they do one of these loans up from the USL in order to cover for a couple of weeks. David Rodriguez? Some of their foreign NTX signings never showed up due to "Visa Problems." So not only is FCD shorthanded, NTX has barely been able to field a coherent roster. They need to sign a bunch more kids to USL deals (or make room for them to sign MLS deals). Beni Redzic apparently training with the first team these days. SMU fullback Eddie Munjoma reportedly training all summer with the team.
Maybe that's right. I haven't watched many of these NTX games. Just the highlights. Some of these FCD insiders think Arturo has overall been the outstanding player for the team so far. Or Jatta, who folks have liked as well. Apparently former RSL midfielder Sunny has been training with the team as well. FCD does have an open international roster slot to work with after the Pedroso trade to DCU. They may have to sign somebody like that just for cover.................................
the question will be will the 10 die hard FCD first team fans put up with losing in order to work towards selling young players abroad? The game last week was a prime example of getting Thomas and Bryan minutes and that should continue if FCD wants to be a selling club. The record of the first team won't matter so much. Assuming this is true, it makes Luchi's job easier as he won't be judged on wins and losses but only on how much money he makes for the Hunt's selling kids to Europe. If Pax sells after the WC he is off to a good start. Not worried about them fielding a team as they can always just play the U19 team or even the /u17s in the USL league and play Thomas, Bryan, Dante and the young guys on the first team.
Lets not forget that FCD is "middle of the pack" when it comes to their salary outlay. They spend more on salaries than some give them credit form. And those are current internationals. Grueso, Acosta, and Aranguiz are on international duty. They spent a ton of money by their standards on Paraguayan Cristian Colman (bust status even before his injury). Ziegler is an expensive player. Ondrasek wasn't cheap. Bressan is a Copa Libertadores winner. Barrios is a good foreign player (he's one they got on the cheap). So I think we're selling this club short by saying we shouldn't judge them on wins and losses. They are still in playoff position as we speak. An MLS team should be able to do both. They can develop talent while also making the playoffs. The youngsters are actually meeting expectations (and beating expectations in some cases). Its some of the higher paid foreign imports that aren't delivering. And that's something we should judge the front office on.
I agree on the youngsters meeting and beating expectations, they are the lifeblood of the organization and should be played to the detriment of these older guys and wins if need be. I am not sure they can do both. If Luchi and Hunt are honest in saying they want to be a selling club, and that is a great strategy for a club I Frisco texas with an average attendance of 12K, then play the kids no matter what. The older guys you mentioned should be on a very short leash and moved along if they are not at all star level. See no need for Arrainguez, Gruezo, or Acosta to be there when you have Pax, Cerrillo, Letayf, Hayes, Roberts etc. It may tick off some of the supporters groups but they will show up no matter what. The rest of Dallas is not interested so make money and develop the young guys.
With over 50% of clubs making the playoffs FCD should make the playoffs every season simply by caring. The question should be can they focus on developing talent while advancing in the playoffs similar to the Red Bulls.
To be honest, I don't see why an MLS club can't develop young players AND win trophies. Anderlecht, Dinamo Zagreb, Boca Juniors, etc. do it in other leagues around the world. I understand that if any MLS club goes this route then they're not the favorites to win the league as long as clubs like Seatlle, Atlanta, LA, etc. are spending big bucks to bring in established Carlos Vela and Sebastian Giovinco caliber veterans. But when 14 teams make the playoffs.........................anything can happen. FCD already won a SS several years ago while giving the most minutes to homegrown players (and 2nd most minutes to their own drafted players). I'll grant that they're taking it to the "next level" right now. But we'll see.
I think this is the missing piece. Only bring in players at spots where there is little quality of HG's or they are a few years away. Only bring in stars. Don't go half way or a third of the way. FCD has kids that good so IF you bring in someone they need to be players that can help them win. Stars.
This didn't make much sense to me, but I think I've figured it out from a discussion about Pomykal's style of play. Gonzalez plays a more athletic, robust, direct style of football. Ramos teams play a possession based style. This isn't to say one style is better than the other, and I don't think either are great coaches, but Cerrillo's game is suited well for Gonzalez system. I don't think Servania's game doesn't work in Gonzalez's system. He's more of a good all-around CM than a very technical one or very athletic one, but I think Servania is suffering from the other players in the team who are benefiting a lot from Gonzalez as coach. I think Cerrillo, Gruezo, Acosta are all well-suited with their style of play for the Gonzalez system in a way they might not be under a different coach.
I agree and have thought this for a while. What's funny is depending on which coach someone likes better they hammer the other coach by bring up X plays A ahead of B so he's stupid. Just what you said in how they fit better in different systems and why every player has to win back spots when a new coach enters the picture.
I think we're up to like 4 games in a row where he's been RSL's best player. I'd say our recent turn in form is very heavily because he's been getting more minutes.
Pierre has started a couple games in a row for the Monarchs now, but I haven't been able to catch either game. Do you have much insight into him? All I seem to remember is that he played CB in the academy (hopefully that's right) but it seems unlikely he'd be playing CB if Holt and Silva started last game.
He’s a left footed defender who usually plays LCB for the U19s, but has also played some left back, which is where he lined up for the Monarchs I believe. He’s of Haitian decent, and has received some youth call ups from Haiti. His brother, Bobby, played at the u17 concacaf tourney for Haiti and plays CB for the RSL u17s.
Besides Bassett most of the guys we’d want to see are on the bench. Aaronson, Yow, Vines, Saucedo, Herrera, Carleton, and Anderson on the bench.