Game: Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs FC Dallas Date: Sunday, September 23rd Time: 6:00 PM [CST] Location: BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Weather Forecast: Showers; H 61, L 50 [Indoor Stadium] Competition: Major League Soccer Last 5 For Opponent: L-W-W-D-W Live TV: KTXA-21 [DFW] | KAMR-4.2 [Amarillo] | KMYL-22.2 [Lubbock] | KFXK-51.2 [Tyler] | KFDX-28.2 (KJBO) [Wichita Falls] | TSN1 [Canada] | ESPN+ [Out of Market] Radio: FCDallas.com/radio [English] | KFLC 1270 AM La Voz del Pueblo [Spanish] So many reasons to crave a win in this one. Have to keep pace at the top of the west; Vancouver got away with murder in Frisco the last two visits; need a reminder that we can compete in this league.
If we want to progress in the playoffs, we're going to have to do at least OK on turf in the northwest. This would be a good time to show we're capable of that.
Good point. Would also be nice to start rounding into dominant form around playoff time. If Lamah is healthy I want to see him at left mid, Arranguiz at attacking mid, Barrios at right and either Urruti or Badji at forward in a 4-2-3-1. Not sure yet about whether I want the new Colombian to start ahead of Ulloa in midfield. Oscar needs to figure out the best lineup and let them play together to get chemistry though. Time for tweaking is about over.
I'd even take a loss here as long as I don't see Urruti as a #10 with Badji in front of him again. Just stop with that experiment already, it isn't working.
Funny thing is FC Dallas look better with Colman than Badji but he always finds new ways not to score. He is hard working and has springs for legs. The Chilean looked good again. Not really sure why Oscar won't play him more as he looks ready and adds something that's missing. I suspect it's because there would be no place for Maxi. I'm beginning to wonder whether he could take Ulloa or Gruezo's place as they are so similar add little creativity or goals. Maybe defensively it would be too dicey. Would at least love to see him come on as a sub for one of them when down a goal or two.
Huge win last night. Only got to see part of it live but was very happy when I discovered (to my surprise) we pulled it out in the end. Another big game in the Pacific Northwest looms next weekend. Portland is always a tough place to go but they're not exactly the beacon of consistency lately.
Badji didn't show much against Columbus, so I wasn't disappointed in his benching. But Colman sure isn't the answer. Didn't seem to connect with his teammates, and his touch let him down a number of times. I think it's time to call it quits on the Colman saga. But it's a problem for Pareja. Does he put Urruti back up top with Arranguiz behind him? Having said that, can't be too upset with the performance overall. Big win on the road that put us back atop the Western Conference!
I've been for giving Colman every chance. The announcers put it well last night. How long can you give him chances just because he's a good guy and works hard? He doesn't score. He doesn't combine well with his teammates. His first touch is poor. I think we'd do better with Hollingshead out there instead of Colman. I'd really like to see more of Aranguiz. Good weekend for us. SKC, RSL, PDX, and Seattle lost. We won on the road and on turf. We scored two goals from set pieces!
This article points out what Colman did right. Yes, he can't score but 12 aerial duels won? That obviously was influential. Also points out Maxi's great set pieces. Not sure if anyone else noticed a comment during the game that Maxi played the #10 role for Newell's Old Boys in Argentina under current MLS manager Tata Martinez. I've often wondered why FCD dodn't try him at winger at times to get a real striker on the field together with Maxi. Oh, and another great point that I did notice during the game was that Tesho of all people totally shut down Davies. It was impressive since no one else could. Canadian national team practicing knowledge? https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2018/...nce-set-piece-dominence-and-dueling-canadians
I've come to decide I want Colmán to start simply because of the total entertainment each time the ball is anywhere near him and the mystery of how that guy ever got this far. He's nowhere near MLS quality level soccer player. The team is so boring in attack, watching him run around with his head cut off or turn over another ball is a drinking game all into itself. But I'll be damned if they didn't win, again, and back into 1st place.
Colman seems to invent new ways to lose possession of a hard fought ball he just won and new ways to lose the ball on the dribble and new ways to fluff shots. If they can still win with him starting it just adds to our enjoyment doesn't it?
At this rate, I fully expect him to make the starting XI for Paraguay's next match and score a brace. He'll then return to Dallas and in FCD's next match, inadvertently clear a Maxi Urruti would-be goal off the line for the opposition.
Yeah, Colman truly is a mystery. A mystery that will hopefully be over for us at the end of the year for good. Big win, but the defense is a big concern looking at how we defended Davies. We can expect more of those types of players in the playoffs so this wasn't an assuring display at the back. Glad we finally beat them though, after their last two fluke results in Frisco. Just win the remaining home games from here and I think that should do it for a top 2 spot. This was a MASSIVE result, can't be overstated.
Davies had some sort of odd control I've never seen before. he would go dribbling through one of our defenders would nick the ball which usually then goes away from the dribbler but Davies had a magnetic control where the ball would someone end up in his run. Once or twice would be weird but he somehow seems to have control of where the ball goes off of opponents. Until Tesho used the anti maple leaf charm on him and cancelled out his powers.