The FC Dallas Thread

It's a great article, and highlights how they came to the solution.

From the article:

Also of note is this quote from Cannon, which I think speaks to the more collaborative element:

Zanotta goes on to say that "it is likely" to sell Cannon in the next two windows.

There is no formal release clause.

 

I popped into this thread to see what was going on with FC Dallas. Of course it’s another thread of Europe vs MLS. It’s like posters feel the need to post the same things over and over in as many threads as possible.

Anyways, nothing said here has actually happened. Efrain is not so good that MLS is stalling his game. Nor is Uly or Alex international stars. It’s a bunch of conjecture to make a pointless point. This is not the only post like this. Things in US youth development are changing. Until Pulisic there was no proven path for American teenagers to go to Europe and break into top Euro sides. Now that’s changed. Just like the possibility of MLS 20-22 yr olds might become a thing. It isn’t now, but it could become a thing. In fact I give that much better odds than Uly or Alex ever becoming international stars.

 

First of many for Pepi.

Cannon is showing some real leadership, impressing all-around.

Ferreira's been meh.

Tessmann was good for most of his appearance, then clumsily misplayed a ball in the center of the park, which ultimately wound up in a goal against, and got subbed out.

 

Pomykal's problem is his health; it will be hard to sell him for a good chunk of money given how fragile he is (and the medical issues he's had). That being said, once they sell the first player under this new management (Zanotta), the flood gates may open up. You are right, if I'm a member of the 2005 team, I'd start looking elsewhere as North Texas SC appears to have changed their model this year.

 

NTSC was forced to change it's model because the U-19s and U-17s of Dallas without all it's stars who have graduated or left aren't good. As soon as the 05 and 06 group are ready they'll get chances and NTSC will stop wasting spots on journeymen and speculative punts and instead will give their kids a chance because they'll want to sign their kids.

Two years from now all of Pax, Cannon, Roberts, Ferreira, Tessmann, Sealy, Pepi could be gone. Then an entirely new wave of FCD HGs will be ready and FCD will have contract space to actually sign them.

 

FC Dallas is on track to become the Ajax of MLS. Produce talented player from academy, talented player has a breakthrough year, Dallas sells that player and moves in the next one. In their midfield Dallas already has Pomykal’s backups ready and in 2 years more will reinforce the squad as well, I wouldn’t expect Pax to stay in MLS long.

 

i think they will ultimately be better with tessmann and pomykal together

 

If I'm Luchi, I'm looking toward something like this lineup to peak with going into the playoffs:

---------------Ondrasek--------------

Pomykal------------------------Barrios

---------------Roberts-----------------

-------Tessman--------Santos----------

Hollingshead--Zeigler--Hedges--Nelson/Cannon (assuming Cannon is sold, but good chance of loan back until January)


Hopefully Ferreira makes big strides during the season, but he's behind these guys in these roles until he takes a big step forward. He should be coming off the bench in a top choice 11. Big year for Pepi, but I don't see him truly pushing Ondrasek for a starting spot until next year.

Picault would be better off the bench, and putting Pomykal on the wing takes advantage of his versatility while starting three more than capable players at their most stacked position. Servania is behind these three/four central midfielders, imo. I'm not a fan of Acosta taking minutes from the developing midfielders because I don't think he's any better than them, but we'll see how he figures into the rotation once healthy. Santos is a different story -- he offers something that the kids can't at this point. Is it time to go ahead and call Mosquera the latest FCD bust?

Reynolds' development could be a big factor in this season if Cannon is sold and Hollingshead or Nelson suffer any injuries. Hopefully he's been progressing.

 

Far too early to be making definitive statements about Pomykal's health. As far as I know, he hasn't been particularly fragile over his career. Last year was his first full pro season. A lot of people get hurt. Some rarely....some chronically. We will see more this year.

 

U19 keeper and Youth National Team player Seth Wilson is on trial in Austria and heading to Portugal next. Great to see Seth reaching for bigger opportunities and chasing the dream. Already has a spot at Clemson for the fall if needed.

 

Ferreira isn't really a 8/10. He would look better as a 10 in a 4-2-3-1 but he's a forward. Would be a great forward in a two forward set as the off striker. His movment and close in skill in the box is very good.

Once Pomykal is healthy he should own that 8/10 spot. Roberts needs to tear it up at NTSC this year. He still doesn't seem ready and isn't close to as defensive an attacking player as Pomkal or Ferreira. Of course a dose of accelerated learning on the fly might change my mind.

 

Ferreira is a striker. Using him as a #10 is misusing him as he's not going to sit back and set up plays for the front line. I'm not blaming anyone specifically, but I don't like this insistence in recent years in the USA where we view any striker whose not above 6'0 as unable to play CF. Not all of them are going to be Lewandowski. Some will be Aguero. I don't see the problem with either approach. Ferreira's a very good player, and if you have the Aguero type instead of the Lewandowski type, you have to adjust your team around that player instead of trying to put that player in a position where they won't succeed.

To me, this might be the biggest problem with how we are developing players. If they are perceived to not have the average height for a certain position, we move them to another position where their game will be less effective. We've started to do the same things at CB, and its leading to a shortage of quality CB's.

If you have Ferreira as your striker, all that means is that you shouldn't play extremely direct and expect him to hold the ball up and bring others into play. Playing an attack-minded system that emphasizes movement between the front players and quick attacking sequences will best utilize Ferreira. I don't see the problem of employing that approach at Dallas or with USYNT's/USMNT when Ferreira is on the field.

 

Not definitive at all but it's possible I may have been following him longer than you (since his pre-academy years). It's a fact hard to ignore though; just google "Pomykal injuries". You can even compare him with Servania (even with his current injury) or Ferreira.

As you know, the second (almost parallel with the first) aspect that a buying team looks at when acquiring a player is health (historically). They don't want to buy a medical liability. This is what Paxton shows in his short career:

Pax:
https://www.transfermarkt.us/paxton-pomykal/verletzungen/spieler/455978

Jesus:
https://www.transfermarkt.us/jesus-ferreira/verletzungen/spieler/474249

Brandon:
https://www.transfermarkt.us/brandon-servania/verletzungen/spieler/455979

 

Yes. The list of players who left just this year is significant from the U-19s. The landscape is changing for sure. However, that is not the case for the U-17s. That team is mostly 04s and 05s; they just are not getting good results in DA or GA.

Depending on how successful the careers of those who departed the U-19s turns out to be could dictate how some of these 05s choose to move in a couple of years. Those families are watching closely. I say that mostly because that 05 team is so loaded with talent; one would think they will have plenty of options. Realistically, the club will not be able to HG sign each one of them either. Tough decisions will have to be made by club and parents.

I agree with you, if FCD moves any of the current first team players in two years, [I really doubt they will move the majority on your list], then some space will be created for some of those 05s and the assembly line continues its course. Time will tell.

 

IMO, Ferreira was made for the 4-4-2 era. It's rare to see true two-forward formations now, and coaches usually have a bias towards a bigger body as the sole forward.

Jesus would have killed it as the creative little guy in the big guy/little guy combos that used to be common 15+ years ago.

 

I think they may be coming back as things always cycle. Philly had a two forward set in the FCD game and Luchi switched to a 3-5-2 to handle it.

 

Completely agree with everything you’ve said. The one catch is that if FC Dallas has Kobra they’re going to play Kobra at forward even if that means Ferreira doesn’t.

It would be nice if Ferreira played as a false 9, the Dempsey type of position rather than as a 10. Or as a dual forward with Kobra.

 

The u17 team does not have many 05's. Jordan Jones occasionally plays up but the u15's are where they 05's are and that team has been dominant in the DA. The 03's have moved the standouts from that age group to the MLS roster and lost Jonathan Gomez and the 04's are a weak age group for Dallas. Their 05 team is one of the most talented in all of the DA and should more than reload FC Dallas once they sell of Ferreira, Pomykal, Servenia, and Cannon

 

Unfortunately, FC Dallas also has Francisco Jara coming in in the summer.

Part of the reason for it was that Ferreira and Ondrasek were expected to be gone a lot suring the summer.

Ferreira probably fits the second striker role better than both, but it is hard to see Jara on the bench in the long term and Ondrasek keeps delivering.

 

Agree but to be pedantic, I didn't say many. I did however, imply that there's more 2004's and 2005's than 2003s receiving meaningful minutes on the team; the 17s team is young (and next year will be younger). That being said, Jordan Jones (unless on national team team duty or injured) is permanent with the 17s since December. Adrian Anguiano (another 2005) is also permanent (and a starter). Anthony Ramirez "occasionally" plays up for DA games and some scrimmages. Several 05s played games with the 17s in the pre-season trip to Mexico. I would expect more 05s moving up as the 16s/17s continue to struggle in the spring.

The 05 team is talented; there's no doubt about that. My point being that since I doubt they will sell even half of the 4 you mentioned, some will have to look for other alternatives. Time will tell.

 

There are plenty of 03s that get a ton of minutes. Che, Akem, Medina, Narang, Ruiz and Collin Smith all pretty much start every game. That’s more than half the XI normally. The big issue is, only Smith and Che (maybe Ruiz) are the only ones you can possible see a future with. The 04s are even less convincing, but maybe have more prospects to be patient with. Carrera, Reynolds, Guiterrez look to be decent prospects and Elizalde is finally back from a knee injury.

Next year will be interesting at this age group with the talent they have coming up.

 

I think Will Watson ('03) isn't bad either.

 

He’s not, though I don’t think he has pushed Carrera they way they thought he would. He has had some good performances, but is most definitely second choice at the moment.