Hello everyone, I am new! I hope to cheekily probe this forum for information! I am a football (soccer) obsessed Brit who hopes to learn a lot more about MLS generally. I write content for some UK based websites on a freelance basis. There is growing interest in MLS and I see an opportunity to start positioning myself as an MLS expert. To get there I need to do my research. I think by far the best way to shortcut this is to ask club fans their thoughts. So if one or two of you could indulge me.... 1) What do you think your team's prospects are for 2022 2) Who in your existing roster do you think can be a breakout player in 2022. Why? (By breakout player - I am thinking of someone who is currently on the fringes, but who you think will play MLS regularly next year with good success) 3) Is there anyone in your roster that you expect to leave and play at a top European club within a year or two. Do your think they would succeed? Why? 4) What is the atmosphere like at home games? I have watched games in a lot of countries and plan to take in some MLS games someday. Should your stadium be on the shortlist?! 5) Who at your club do you expect to play at next year's world cup? Many thanks in advance to anyway who is prepared to share their thoughts
Hello again! I was going to give the FC Dallas die-hards an opportunity to answer, but they've mostly all abandoned this forum. You'll have better luck over at https://3rddegree.net/ . I follow FC Dallas peripherally, so I'll see if I can give some partial answers. 1) Prospects: Not great, but there are some good players. It'll depend on if the new coach pans out to some extent. FC Dallas is filled with players who are good enough to start in MLS, but very few who are real difference-makers. 2) I don't know enough about the youth or the bench anymore at FCD to answer this one. However, FC Dallas prides itself on being one of the best youth programs in the world. They develop youth talent like nobody else in MLS. 3) Ricardo Pepi, the MLS Young Player of the Year. He had 13 goals this year, but could have had more with better assist play. Jesus Ferreira and Paxton Pomykal both have loads of potential that has yet to be fully realized, but if either of them has a breakthrough year in the next couple they could move. 4) FC Dallas, for a host of reasons, built their stadium 30 miles away from downtown Dallas. They also have no roof in the sweltering Texas heat. The crowds there are pretty quiet even when the team is good. Average attendance this year was 13,000, but I suspect the actual number of butts in seats was significantly lower. If you want to attend a sold-out game, they traditionally host on Independence Day (or thereabouts) and sell out the stadium. If you go in the spring or fall when the weather is nice, the stadium itself is great. 5) Ricardo Pepi might play. He's a depth piece for the USA roster right now. All the other FC Dallas internationals play for teams that won't qualify. There's a very far outside chance that Jesus Ferreira might be on the USA roster, too, but I doubt it.