It was a gorgeous day today at Dynamo training as the squad prepared under coach Dominic Kinnear.
A usual Friday before game day…….technique work, finishing and some functional work with defenders headed up by John Spencer. The Dynamo seemed loose and looking forward to finally getting their season underway.
Apart from myself the only other media I saw at Carl Lewis Track and Field Stadium were the guys from Telemundo.
So lets speculate on what the lineup will be on Saturday night. So hear is my guess:
GK Pat Onstad
Def Mike Chabala
Def Bobby Boswell
Def Eddie Robinson
Def Andrew Hainault
Mid Richard Mulrooney
Mid Geoff Cameron
Mid Brian Mullan
Mid Brad Davis
For Brian Ching
For Dominic Oduro
Chabala seems the front runner for this game at left back based on the fitness of Adrian Serioux and the abscence of Lovel Palmer whom to the best of my knowledge is still getting his paperwork sorted out to come to the U.S. This puts a former All Star in midfield in Mulrooney in the holding role and brings alot of experience. Of course down the road you could see Mulrooney at right back and Hainault at left back as an option if Palmer or Serioux claim the holding role.
Brad Davis and Brian Mullan are the incumbents out wide and Cameron is still figuring out the central midfield role but that will only come with getting games and as he proved last year he is a fast learner. It is a tough move in some ways though because as a central defender the game is in front of you. It is much different, faster in a central midfield role.
There could be a great attacking upside to Cameron in midfield at times becoming a third striker and attacking from late.
Up front Dominic Oduro has scored goals all throughout pre-season and could with his pace make FC Dallas step back and create more space for Brian Ching and the Dynamo midfield. Brian Ching is the axis up front and will be interesting to see how much he comes back into the hole looking for the ball against FC Dallas. Look to see him coming back to the ball a bit more than Oduro who is the threat over the top. Would love to see Ching come off the FC Dallas defense, get turned and pick out Oduro behind their defense.
Luis Landin should get minutes up front in this one you would think.
Able reserves will be Serioux, Cory Ashe as well. All in all a good looking lineup against a rival and a team in FC Dallas that finishing strong last year and now has furthered the imprint of their coach Shellas Hyndmann on all areas of the organization. From the outside looking in , he clearly looks in charge of all player moves and ideas.
A tough but exciting opener tomorrow at FC Dallas.
Key Dallas players: Jeff Cunningham- finished last year on a goal scoring tear.
Daniel Hernandez- captain and huge influence on club after being signed last season
Heath Pearce- another good addition
David Fereirra- Colombian is silky smooth and a problem showing up in different areas of the field.
Dax McCarty- simple with the ball, hard working
Brek Shea- College Station, Texas and another close to our area youth product.
This team has good overall speed and that is apparently what made former FC Dallas midfielder Dave van Den Berg expendable if you read the Dallas papers.
FC Dallas is apparently going to sign another striker that will be available during the summer transfer window.
Don’t forget to check in on my prior entry and remember Roma against Inter Milan tomorrow in Rome is another great game to catch!!
Are you heading to Dallas or I mean Frisco? What does your soccer weekend entail? Send me your story ideas at gdavis98@swbell.net….If you know of a youth team, club , player or high school team that deserves mention…email me at gdavis98@swbell.net
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Glenn,
LET’S GET IT ON DALLAS!
Two years ago, he should have won Rookie of the Year. Last season he was one of the leagues best defenders playing out of his natural midfield position. I’m not expecting miracles, but year three of the Geoff Cameron Experience might well be the birth of one of the next great U.S. midfield talents. It will be a tough challenge but by my count, GCam is 2-0 on back-to-back tough challenges.
The Gals or RSL are the chalk in the West but I say if we can avoid the long layoff injury plague that has hit us hard the last two seasons, particularly at the back line, we should still be a formidable challenger in the West.
DALE DYNAMO!!!
Riding the bus with el Batallon…Im sure it’s gonna be a good road trip for us…the only other time I’ve watched the Dynamo on the road was at MLS Cup 06…
Im pretty pumped up about the season getting started and gonna try to stay positive because reading that line-up you just put out there, makes me feel like we’ve got a slow team…
it seems slow, on paper…I dont’ know why…I know all these guys were here last year too but, I dn’t know why I get that feeling…maybe because Im seeing many youngster come up in other teams…
Can’t wait for 3pm tomorrow and then back to tailgate on April 1st!!
Dale, Dale…..
Moises,
Overall team speed and youth is always an issue with every team and there is an answer to that with Oduro, Cameron, Ashe, Palmer, Hainault, Appiah, Navas Cobo, Cruz who all could play an important part in the season, don’t forget the open slot that hopefully can be filled with an impactful player come summer transfer window.
This will be interesting tomorrow.
Glenn
Instead of Mullan I would have Ashe in their because he can explosive at times.
The question is Oscar can Ashe become a 90 minute player this year?
He has struggled at times in the role of a starter, he is more comfortable off the bench.
Two left sided players then with Ashe and Davis out wide.