Ten Americans in Europe that I'd love to see play for the Dynamo, but know it'll never happen

No, these aren't the biggest names in the world American Soccer.  I could sit here and name a bunch of guys we could never afford, and a bunch of guys who'd never come, but this isn't that type of list.This list includes guys that aren't highly priced or that Houston could get when they are out of contract, but I also know that it'll never happen (unless I'm playing FIFA 21).  I don't see some of them coming to MLS, I don't see any of these guys as players that the Dynamo would actually go for, and I'm also aware that MLS re-entry draft rules and Discovery Rights would make it nearly impossible.  But a guy can dream right? 

Please also note that this isn't my Dream 11, or a list of players from anywhere in the globe I'd love to see trampling the turf at BBVA, it's a specific list of a specific set of players. These guys are either young and on the up, or underutilized vets that could have enough left in the tank to help Tab Ramos' squad.  Many of them have played for Tab on the USMNT as youngsters and some are simply intriguing prospects, others would be welcome additions. So without further ado, the nominees go to:

1) Sebastien Soto 

Age - 20 - CF - Norwich - English League 2 - Current Market Value - $550k
Soto has had a tuff go getting to a first team in Europe.  Originally with Hannover '96 in the Bundesliga's second tier, he spent two years on Hannover's youth team despite scoring 17 goals in 24 games for Hannover's U-19 team. Soto moved to Norwich City in England's Championship this summer after his contract with Hannover ran out.  Unable to obtain a work permit, Sebastian went on a short term loan to Telstar in the Netherlands before he was recalled in January. 

Soto scores goals, plain and simple.  In 19 appearances for USMNT, he's scored 15 goals.  At Telstar, he had 7 goals in 12 games (8 starts).  "He's definitely a team-first type player and he's excellent around the box," Ramos told Goal last summer. "When he gets a chance, he puts it away. People just can't do that consistently. You have tons of great players who can't score goals and he can."  With the lack of a #9 of any significance here in Houston, he'd be an amazing fit. Being that Norwich city currently sits 7 points atop the table and look to move into the Premier league next year, it's doubtful Soto could be convinced to make the move, but he would be awesome here. He just signed a 3 year contract with Norwich City, but if the work permit is still on hold, why not put out a loan offer for him through this year?

2) Fabian Johnson

Age - 33 - LM/LB - Free Agent - Current Market Value=$1.1 mil.
Fabian Johnson would be a great addition here.  A solid vet who can still press and make plays.  He can legitimately play 6 positions (LB, RB, LM, RM, CM, CAM) and be an upgrade for us at all 6.  He's a free agent, and would be worth a DP slot.  He's aging, and there's injury concern with Fabian, but he could come here and have a DaMarcus Beasley type ending to his career.  There were rumors he was negotiating with several MLS teams last June, but his contract ran up and he's currently unsigned.  Surely we could use some of that James Harden money and go get him.

3) Timmy Chandler

Age -30- RM/RB - Eintracht Frankfurt - Bundesliga - Germany - Current Market Value=$1.65 mil
Timmy is one of my favorite players of all-time, and a big reason I latched on to Eintracht Frankfurt. The 30 year old has one year remaining on a deal that expires in 2022.  The former USMNT player would be a definite upgrade at RB, and still has plenty left in the tank. Currently a sub for Eintracht Frankfurt and having played only 96 minutes this year, Timmy can still get up and down the sideline, is a good defender, and is an extremely accurate passer both down the field and on crosses.  He's a fan favorite there, and would immediately command a new jersey sale purchased by me, about :37 seconds after he's announced.  He's played Wing Back in Eintracht's primary 3-4-1-2, Right Back and Right Mid in a both a 4-4-2 and a 4-2-3-1, and he's still very good at applying pressure up the pitch and defending from the front.  He can turn defense into offense quickly and went on a brilliant run last year during the second half of the season scoring 6 goals over a five game stretch. Many fans in the U.S. are sour on him from his time on USMNT, but watching him for the last 6 years I have seen him turn in steady performances time and time again.  Being native to Frankfurt, it'd be hard to pry him away, but he doesn't command a big wage and would be a great addition to BBVA.  His contract is also up at the end of the year, so he could make a midseason move here for a playoff push.

4) Jonathan Amon 

Age - 22 - Left Wing - FC Nordsjælland - The Netherlands - Current Market Value=$440k
Jonathan Amon is FAST.  He's got top level speed, is a good ball handler, has a nice first touch and would reek havoc on MLS defenses.  Amon persistently blows by defenders and finds slivers of daylight to create goals.  He has good finishing accuracy going to his right, and will find open teammates in front of the net.  The South Carolina native's contract expires in 2022, and after missing last year with a knee injury he's working his way back into form (returning only a week ago).  He had a goal in his first game back (25 minutes as a substitute), and an assist in his appearance in the Danish Sydbank Pokalean (Sydbank Cup). He has DP level talent, and would be a difference maker with his speed, pressure, and passing.  He has a decent right foot when cutting back inside, but is not a big time goal scorer.  Would be an awesome addition here.

5) Christian Cappis 

Age -20 - Midfielder - Hobro IK - Danish Superliga - Denmark - Current Market Value=$330k
Just so we're clear, Chappis SHOULD BE a Dynamo already. He stiffed #ForeverOrange for FC Frisco, and then when MLS declared the Dynamo owned his discovery rights, he went on trial at Bayern Munich instead. Bayern apparently where interested but didn't have a roster spot so he ended up signing with Hobro IK in Denmark.  I don't know that Chappis would be a superstar, but he's a solid 6 and he's only 21 years old. The left footer would be a great compliment to Mattias Vera with his size (6'1") an defensive capabilities.  He played over 2,000 minutes on 24 starts last year for Hobro IF, and just got his first USMNT call up.  He just signed a 4 year deal with Brondby who sit at the top of the Superliga table, so the chances of him coming here anytime soon are nil. Although he somewhat burned us, I'd still love to see him in Tab Ramos's system.

6) Shaq Moore 

Age - 24 - RB - CD Tenerife - Segunda Division - Spain=Current Market Value - $660,000
Shaq Moore has over 10,000 minutes played as a professional.  His 4,235 minutes on  46 starts over the last two years for Tenerife have been marked with improvement every step of the way.  He's seen time in La Liga, he's started against Lionel Messi at The Bernabeu. He's currently behind a logjam at RB for the USMNT, but is a solid player with good speed and can definitely defend.  He's signed through 2024, but at that market value a transfer shouldn't be out of the question. Moore is young, he's explosive, he gets good reads on the ball, but his deep ball passing and crossing need improvement. Moore was a mainstay for Tab Ramos on the Under-20's, and in the 2015 CONACACAF U-20 Champion team Moore started and played the full 90 in 5 of the 6 games, and started 18 out of 20 games overall in that campaign.  His familiarity with Tab, his athleticism, I'd love to see this happen.

7) Luca de la Torre

Age - 22 - CM - Heracles Almelo (Loan From Fulham) - Eredivisie - Current Market Value - $770k

Luca has had a bear of a time breaking through to the first team at Fulham, managing on 64 minutes in the Championship over his 3 years with the club. One loan to Heracles Almelo, he's finally getting valuable playing time (24 starts, 1700+ minutes played). Posting a goal and two assists, he's really solidified himself on a team that sits square in the middle of the table. The thing that is jumping off the page at people is his ability to take the ball away from people (26 tackles won, 24 interceptions in 24 games), and his 22 fouls drawn. His 86.8% passing leads the team and is currently among the upper echelon of Eredivisie passers (21st overall, only 4 midfielders have a higher percentage). de la Torre was a force on Tab Ramos's U-20 side in the last U-20 World Cup, and it might jump start him to make the full time move here to play for Tab on the club side. His contract runs up next summer, so trying to get him on the end of his contract or on a loan deal until his contract runs out would be ideal.

8) Richy Ledezma 

Age - 20 - CM/CAM - PSV Eindhoven - Eredivisie - Current Market Value - $935k
Ramos believes that Ledezma is one of the best players from a U-20 group that included Josh Sargent, Tim Weah, Chris Richards, and others. Ledezma is a playmaking attacking midfielder who has loads of potential. He had just broken through PSV's first team in November 2020, making 3 appearances over 5 weeks when he tore his ACL 17 minutes into PSV's Europa League match against Omonia Nicosia during the group stage last December. His first Europa League minutes, and his first Europa league start, Ledezma was just finding some traction after a broken foot sidelined him in 2019 before he even made it to the Netherlands. Another person who has intimate knowledge of playing for Ramos, and another signed through 2022, I'd love to see him take over the reigns for Darwin Quintero when Darwin is ready to retire. His long term goal is to play at a Champions League level club in Europe, but I would love to see him in Darwin's role here in Houston.

9) Andrija Novakovich 

Age - 24 - CF - Frosinone Calcio - Italy - Current Market Value - $1.87 mil.
Novakovic is finally realizing potential that he saw as a member of the USMNT U-20's.  His time at Reeding FC was seen with loan deals for 3 straight years, and despite scoring 19 goals in 35 games at Telstar in the Netherland's second flight, he found his way on another loan and eventually to his current home of Frosinone in Italy's second tier.  He wanted to go to Italy, stating that the defense there would help take him to the next level.  He's been really good this year, banging home 7 goals in 1500+ minutes as Frosinone sits in the mid-table of Serie B.  He's big (6'3") is good around the box, and does a good job holding up play and finding teammates.  Also signed through 2022, he should be a player on our radar as we continue to search for a viable #9.

10) Isaiah Young

Age - 22 RW/LW/CF - Rot-Weiss Essen - Regionalliga West (Germany) Current Market Value=$165k
Young is an explosive athlete and an interesting prospect. He's never played higher than the second division, which he did in 2019/2020 for Belgium's Union SG. He only played just over 500 minutes the entire year there, but has had a re-emergence of sorts this year and is playing well for German 4th Division side Rot-Weiss Essen. That might not post wow-factor, but he put in good performances in the DFB Pokal against Fortuna Dusseldorf (2nd Division), Bayer Leverkusen (1st Division), and Holstein Kiel (Second Division). Young was in the starting 11 in all three games, and was a constant threat on the pitch and Rot Weiss Essen took down two much bigger clubs before finally succumbing to Kiel. He started off his career with a bang, scoring 3 goals in his first 8 starts for Werder Bremen' U-19 side in the U-19 Bundesliga, but his production has really fallen off over the last several years and he just hasn't been able to make the Jump. He had 2 goals and 7 assists in 1700+ Minutes in 17/18 for Werder Bremen's II side, and so far this year has a goal and 3 assists in just over 1000 minutes played. While his athleticism is intriguing, his work rate and skill level both need some improvement. He'd be a project and most likely wouldn't make an immediate impact in the squad, but the former stalwart on the US U-19's could be a low risk - high reward type investment.

Others worth noting:

Mason Judge - 18 - CB - Eintracht Frankfurt - Bundesliga - Current Market Value=Unranked.

Joe Scally - 18 - RB - Borussia Mönchengladbach - Bundesliga -Current Market Value=$2.2 mil

Alex Mendez - 20 - CM/CAM - Ajax - Eredivisie - Current Market Value=$550k

Julian Green - 25 - CM/CAM - SpVGG Greuther Furth - 2. Bundesliga - Current Market Value=$1.1 mil

*Editor's note, I could name about 20 more kids in the Bundesliga I'm excited about, but this is where I'll end my list.*

Thoughts?  Anyone you'd like to see on this list?  Feel free to comment below.

Thanks for reading,

Brian

Lack of FO creativity, player development, bigger problem than lack of funds.

 

WE NEED A BIG NAME PLAYER.  It's shouted on #Dyano Twitter on a persistent basis.  It's about the only thing out there that you read more often than #BrenerOut.  You see it on Big Soccer, it's blasted all over Reddit.  But....what does that mean exactly?  Does that mean that the Forever Orange faithful will only be satisfied if Lionel Messi finds his way to Houston? Does someone like Mo Salah or Luis Suarez have to come to play their final years at BBVA? We undoubtedly need and deserve higher levels of talent than what have graced the pitch just south of Hwy 59, but do we have to land a guy with a large name and reputation to make us happy?

Three years ago, Mauro Manotas was one of the leading scorers in MLS.  In fact, our front three where outstanding.  The trio of Manotas, Romell Quioto and Alberth Elis where electric, and one of the better goal scoring trios in the league.  Elis was arguably as talented a wing player and as dynamic a player in MLS as there was.  Quioto was a total headache, but was an explosive compliment on the other side of the field who was extremely dangerous and capable. We had DaMarcus Beasley, one of the most respected players in the history of American Soccer, and a guy that was highly accomplished (and yes.....I know he was on the downside of his career).  Why were they never considered big name players?  Why weren't they all over town?  Why wasn't the battle cry in 2017 "WE NEED DEFENDERS!  WE NEED GRUNTS!"?  That's what we needed.  We all know by now that ownership here will never open up the wallet enough to bring a Zlatan, or a David Beckham to the comfy confines of Houston, but do they need to?  

I'm a huge fan of the Bundesliga.  And while I am well aware that money wins in  that league, I also see highly competitive teams that have done it in different ways.  There are teams that are competitive in Champions League, Europa League, and the Bundesliga without huge payrolls or big name stars. Teams that compete every single week with Europe's best reside in Leverkusen, Leipzig, Sinsheim (Hoffenheim), Monchengladbach, Wolfsburg, and (my personal favorite) Frankfurt.  While money most definitely wins league championships in all of Europe's leagues, it doesn't necessarily define competitiveness.  Bundesliga teams have found creative ways to find young talent, combine them with solid veterans, and develop everyone to a higher level.  If you aren't developing talent in the Bundesliga, you will find yourself in a spot like Hamburg and Hannover.  Relegated, no chance of coming up, stuck in purgatory.  If you get it just right, you become Union Berlin, a team that won promotion for the first time last year and now sits square in the middle of the table.  While some of you may scoff at the idea of being a mid-table team, may I remind you where we've been for the last half decade.  Teams in Germany, France, Austria, and the Netherlands have found crafty ways to upgrade talent on limited budgets.  They don't all do it the same way, and they don't all do it with productive academies.  There's more than one way to build a roster, and there's more than one way to have a big name player.

The shortest route for this team would to simply go get two players to fill the voids at Designated Player.  Will they even attempt to do that this year?  The short answer is....."probably not".  The long answer still ends with no.  Despite the flirtations with Carlos Salcedo (which I believe was more about P.R. than actual interest), there aren't two more DP's coming this offseason. But, let's look at a few cheap ways the Dynamo could upgrade talent and fill those roster spots in the future.  

Short Term Loan Deal with an option to buy.

As seen with Orlando City's Jonathan Suarez, Seattle's Joao Paulo, and the Galaxy's Cristian Pavon (just to name a few), you can bring in a designated player without paying a sizeable transfer fee.  You can fill a DP slot without waiting for a guy to come on a free transfer. A short term loan could be one way that we see Carlos Salcedo brandishing that new emblem this spring while paying only a fraction of the transfer fee it would take for him to make the permanent move.  Without knowing his salary (Liga MX doesn't publish those), it would be hard to see how this deal would really work. While I think Salcedo would make Houston an immediate playoff team and the pairing of Salcedo and Tim Parker would be without question the best CB duo in the league, it would still take another acquisition up top to make them a legitimate contender for a trophy. I'm a die-hard Eintracht Frankfurt fan.  I spend every Saturday morning eating breakfast tacos and watching Eintracht Play.  And from 2017-2019 I got a real good look at what Salcedo can do.  El Titan would be the big name we are looking for, even though he's on the back side of the formation.  He alone would make us a threat for the MLS Cup.  He's big, he's tuff, he's a really good athlete, and he isn't afraid of anybody (including Robert Lewandowski).We've seen him perform on the international stage, and the work he put in for El-Tri helped them shut down Germany, South Korea, and get out of the group in the 2018 World Cup.  He's playing really well for Tigres UNAM right now, and helped them trade punches with Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup. But, it's a pipe dream and I'm blabbing on about one of my favorite players ever........I digress.

As an Eintracht fan, I've been spoiled by creative ways to get really good players on the cheap.  The front office in Frankfurt has worked amazingly cheap deals for quality players over the last 10 years, guys that they then went on to sign to long term deals on a very friendly transfer fee.  Some of the guys they've worked these deals for (Omar Mascarell) performed so well the other teams wouldn't let Eintracht make the purchase option.  I can give tons of examples of this happening elsewhere in the world as well, but more importantly MLS teams are beginning utilize this tool better and better. Somewhere there is a club in Liga Mx, Europe, or South America that has underutilized and undervalued talent ready for the poaching.  Targeting that talent and getting it on deals friendly to the club is something that few MLS teams have the ability to do.  These players can be young players just coming up, or sometimes vets sitting the bench at bigger clubs that have lost their starting position.  Sometimes, it's a vet brought in for depth on a team that failed to qualify for League Competitions (Champions League, Europa League, CONCACAF Champions League, etc). These are admittedly more difficult to find in North and South America as roster sizes are not as big and overall talent is not as deep, but surely you can find quality vets riding the pine on a team that loaded up and then didn't qualify somewhere in Liga MX or further south. While in MLS, the talent pool and roster turnover don't really make this a possibility, outside of MLS there are huge possibilities.  Really to make this work, you have to have a tremendous scouting department.  It seems like we had our niche (I'm a Biology teacher, I love this word) in Honduras, but there are loads more leagues and lots more talent to be had.

Loan deals can come in a variety of ways for a variety of reasons.  (1) Teams looking to unload a vet, because they just transferred in an upgrade at that position.  You get that player off the books, you can usually get them pretty cheap, and their backup could be your starter.  (2) A young player who is outperforming their U-21 team, but can't break through on the first team.  If you have a reputation for getting talent to the next level, teams will loan you these guys to get them playing time.  If you negotiate the loan right, you find a starter who is young and cheap.  If you work the deal right and think outside the box, you can snatch them up for a great deal.  MLS transfer rules somewhat prohibit you from working these deals as ideally as you can in other leagues but there are smart enough businessmen to get really creative with these deals and get them done.  In 2016, Fredi Bobic from Eintracht Frankfurt wanted 20 year old Ante Rebic badly.  He convinced Fiorentina to loan Rebic for a sum of $2mil.  He added a buy on clause for another $2mil, and promised that if Eintracht ever sold Rebic on he'd split the profit with Fiorentina 50/50.  It was a genius move by a cash strapped club.  That same year, he went after a young striker who had become a problem child at Benefica by the name of Luka Jovic.  Bobic convinced Benefica to loan Luka for two years for a sum of $200,000.  Luka exploded at the end of that loan deal and led Eintracht to back to back Europa League competitions (a competition which they hadn't qualified for in 2 decades) and helped them win the DFB Pokal. Eintracht had an option to make the deal permanent for $5mil, which the exercised right before they sold him for $65 mil to Real Madrid.  Frankfurt isn't the only team out there doing this.  Dortmund (Jadon Sancho), Leverkusen (Leon Bailey) and others have gotten dynamic young talent on loan and helped it explode.  And while those guys are never coming to MLS, there are equivalent MLS level players out there and available.  We just have to find them.  Once we find them, we need to know what to do with them.  Currently, the Dynamo have one such loan player on their roster:  Ariel Lassiter. While Lassiter performed well in his debut, he was mostly a disappointment.  The Dynamo can better take advantage of this tool, and with the right moves desperately improve their club at a manageable price.  

One other option.....

The Dynamo need to form a partnership with a European side.  While they have done a tremendous job scouting Honduras, they need to have a two way street with a bigger club.  While FC Dallas has already benefited from this type of partnership, these partnerships need to become two way streets.  With Tab Ramos at the helm accompanied by both his acumen and reputation for developing young players, the Dynamo aggressively need to explore options for bringing young players in on loan who are struggling to break through with their clubs.  The major portion of these agreements is that the lending club has to trust that you'll be able to take their player to the next level.  If they don't, forget it.  If they see you can, you've got a chance. If you can build that trust and reputation, you can find real bargains in this area and find some young, budding stars.  Loan deals are especially valuable if a team has a logjam of veterans at a position where they are trying to develop their next star.  Sometimes, you can even pick up one of the veterans on the cheap.  There are plenty of big time clubs on the planet that could use this type of partnership, especially when teams are hurting for the funds to finance developmental squads and academies.  Frankfurt dropped their U-23's several years back, and has made a habit of loaning these players out to clubs in order to get them valuable playing time.  If the Dynamo could set up a partnership with a mid-table club or above from any of the top 5 leagues in Europe, they could come away with a steal.

To date, these partnerships in MLS have all been one-way streets.  FC Dallas has sent Bayern Munich some of it's best young talent (Chris Richards, Tim Booth), and Bayern have promised to send talent in return.  Although, with Bayern Munich II winning the 3. Liga last year, and showing strong again this season, it's doubtful we'd see anyone like Jann-Fiete Arp and Malik Tillman in MLS.  However, just because it hasn't been done yet, doesn't mean it can't.  Usually, MLS teams have their sites set too high.  FC Dallas' agreement with Bayern is great for MLS players wanting to get their shot in Europe, however with the developmental setups these teams already have, and the willingness for 2nd and 3rd division teams in Germany to take loan players on, it's highly unlikely any of their players will ever make it down this way.  But, that doesn't mean there isn't a team in France, or Spain, or Portugal that would be willing to send guys over.  An agreement with a big name is only going to help the Dynamo financially (potentially), but an agreement with a team like FC Utrecht in the Netherlands could be a great one.

The Academy will take time....

The real way to build a lasting winner here in Houston is to get the academy producing.  That's not going to happen overnight.  This isn't a guarantee that the Academy will win trophies, but it's another layer that needs to be added to this roster.  No talent in professional sports is cheaper than young, home grown talent.  It's true in hockey, it's true in baseball, it's somewhat true in the NFL and NBA, and it's definitely true in MLS.  The trick is utilizing it properly.  It's not just about producing stars and goal scorers, it's about producing a vision.  Do your midfielders hold down the midfield, attack the ball, and spray it to open guys?  Do your defenders defend, and play the ball deep?  Do you get usable parts from it?  FC Dallas has had the most profitable Academy, which I could care less about.  They can have the transfer fees and no trophies.  I'd rather build a club which is useful for the Dynamo on the pitch.  

To date, Memo Rodriguez is the only notable product of the Houston Academy.  I guess you could throw Tyler Deric's name out there, but Memo is hands down the only productive academy member Houston has ever produced.  I know the theories about this abundance of talent that is just being ignored and overlooked, and that's partly true, but don't we think in a city this size there would be.......more?  You'd think we'd have stumbled across a few kids here or there wouldn't we?  How in the name of Texas have we not found more than one guy the 15 years of Academy here in Houston?  I absolutely believe that Tab Ramos can fix it, it just isn't going to happen within the next 5 years.  He needs to tear down and rebuild the entire Academy here, and there's no way that it will start producing anytime soon.  I see the people scoffing at why there aren't more kids playing this year.  You want to know why?  Because none of them are good enough, and probably don't even have the long term potential to get to the MLS level.  If they did, he'd play them.

There are lots of teams, both in the US and abroad, that can't produce academy talent.  It's a nature of the beast.  If every team could do it, they would.  They'd all love to have cheap young talent at the ready, players who grew up dreaming of playing for their hometown team and will stay loyal and cheap until their playing career is over.  But it's just not realistic. There are surely many of you who will vehemently argue with me about the talent pool here in Houston, 

but.......we aren't exactly a hot bed.  (Kind of) Stu Holden, maybe you count Brek Shea too, Ima Baba, and Christian Cappis. That's the extent of the big time talent that's come to MLS from Houston since 1996. Cappis would have been nice here, and without knowing all the detail of his backstory, it appears he just didn't want to play for the Dynamo.  The Katy native chose to try his hand in Europe, trialing with Bayern Munich before ending up in Denmark.  He's been a mainstay at Brondby IF and could have been great here, but.......anyway. 

Houston (for some reason) can't get these guys here.  That doesn't mean that it won't or can't happened.  It just hasn't happened.  How do we get it there? Scouting.  Player development.  That's the long and short of it.  Go find the best players in our MLS territory, sign them and develop them.  The cost of that can also be hefty, but at some point you have to invest in this team.  If you can't produce young talent from your Academy, find another way to bring it in.

Final Thoughts:

There are many ways this front office has failed this team.  Finding a big name is one of them, but failing to put a quality team together is really the issue.  There weren't any big name players on our back to back MLS cup teams.  They were a great squad.  Seattle doesn't have any big-time players, they are what we should be trying to be.  There are creative ways to get there, Matt Jordan and company just need to get creative......because Salata just isn't enough.

Thanks again for reading.

Brian

Those new Kits have me like...........

 

No analysis or long read post here.  I was really scared that we'd get some whacked out, crazy design.  The new kit is clean, simple, nice. The stripes at the top are a nice touch, and the stars look nice on that new crest.  The new crest actually looks pretty good on this.  I know a lot of people out there are upset by the "rebrand" (B.T.W., adding FC to the end of Houston Dynamo is the weakest attempt at rebranding in the history of MLS.  It's not like we dropped the name "Burn"), but this makes me feel better about it.  I was 1/2 joking we were going to get some crazy 1990's Rockets jerseys (the blue ones, with the stripes and the rocket) but this is classic and simple. 

I would love to see this with the black shorts, that would look mean. That combo would be a nightmare in Houston Summer inside the oven of BBVA, especially on weekend day games when the sun pounds that field. I'm mostly happy to see Darwin back, regardless of what the jersey looks like.  

I'm equally as happy they stuck with the color #ForeverOrange.  Can't wait to see if they changed the secondary kit, and would love to see a third, all white version. What are your thoughts?  Feel free to leave a comment in the comment box.

Thanks for reading.  Stay #ForeverOrange

In a league where goal scorers are king, where do the Dynamo find goals to compete?

 

It's no secret.  Everyone who follows this league knows it.  If you want to turn your franchise around quickly, just drop some cash on a goal scorer.  Carlos Vela, Josef Martinez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Bradley Wright-Phillips, David Villa, Jozy Altidore......goals win games.  If you don't have one guy who can do it, just keep throwing people forward until you get one.  In today's MLS, goals are at an all-time premium.  From 2015 to 2019, only 3 teams have allowed under 1 goal per game during the regular season.  While all three (2015 Colorado Rapids, 2017 Sporting KC, and 2018 NY Red Bulls) made the playoffs, only 1 won their conference regular season title.  None won the supporters shield, none of them won MLS Cup. The best defensive teams of the last 10 years (2012 Sporting KC, and 2017 Sporting KC) were both bounced by average Dynamo teams in the first round.  In 2015 Colorado made it to the Conference Finals before getting sent home by Seattle.

The 2018 NY Red Bulls are the only team to win their conference and NOT lead it in goals scored since 2013.  In MLS, you don't win by packing it in and getting clean sheets, you win by putting it in the back of the net.  Scoring 50 goals in a season is a good watermark on your playoff chances.  From 2011-2019, the number of 50+ goal scoring teams increased every year.  The percentage of those teams making the playoffs has grown along with it.  From 41.6% in 2015, to 83.3% in 2019.  This has been accentuated by the increasing number of 60, 70, and now 80 goal scoring teams.  And while a lockdown defensive team made the MLS Cup final last year, this is becoming a rarer and rarer case.

But, you don't have to have an attacker that scores 30 goals to make the playoffs in MLS.  You just need a team capable of getting 50.  Yes, MLS cup and Supporters Shield trophies should be the goal for this front office, just putting a playoff caliber squad together needs to be the immediate focus.  For years now, Dynamo fans have called for a big name player.  While that's a direction to go, I think we can all learn from Zlatan and the L.A. Galaxy it's not necessarily THE way to go.  The Galaxy where never a serious contender for the league with him, they didn't even make the playoffs his first year in Los Angeles. While he made them better, the second he left they fell off the table and where one of the worst teams in the league.  

Last year's Dynamo team was on pace to be a type of offense that contended for a playoff position.  Averaging 1.64 goals through the first 10 games of the season, including their abysmal performance in the MLS is Back tournament.  The team had just found traction in Tab Ramos' fluid, high pressing and quick hitter offense when the news came that Alberth Elis was moving to Portugal.  And even though Web Tilton helped him put his bags on the plane, no one should have been happy about his departure. Over the 5 games before the transfer was announced, the Dynamo had picked up 10 points and outscored KC (twice), Dallas, Minnesota, and Colorado 12-4, all playoff teams.  The offense had absolutely no punch after he left.  Manotas was a no-show almost the entirety of the season, and Memo Rodriguez isn't the type of threat to open things up for those two in the middle.  Ariel Lassiter?  While Lassiter had an excellent debut against Minnesota, scoring 2 goals and connecting on 14/15 passes in 36 minutes of play, he failed to make an impact anywhere close to that over the rest of the season.  Nico Hansen played well just enough to not get a contract offer, from anyone.Tab was soo desperate Sam Junqua was used up top as well as Nico Lemoine. The Dynamo managed just one win in the 12 games after Elis left, picking up only 7 points.  The offense only managed 12 goals in 12 games, and with the midfield pusing higher and higher up trying to create turnovers, they got burned in the back.  They were outscored 23-12 over the last 12 games of the season, and looked punchless. Their one win of that span took 9 amazing saves by Marko Maric.  But this is a new year, with new faces.  While we can complain about the Dynamo front office all we'd like, they did make a few moves this offseason which could help address these needs. 

But, can this team get to 50 goals.  That's the question.  Can this team, as currently constructed, find the 50 goals needed to make the playoffs?  With the addition of Tim Parker in the offseason, and some help in the defensive midfield, this should be a drastically improved defense.  Can the offense find it's footing and get the timely goals they need to win games?  They have plenty of new faces in the lineup this year.  Let's take a look at what's come in, and maybe a few surprise faces from last year.

(1) Fafa Picault

Fafa brings one thing to the table that the Dynamo sorely lack: Speed.   Picault has legitimate pace on the outside and is a threat in both the press and in the counterattack.  Depending on which wing he plays, and how Tab Ramos lines up, Fafa should be a solid addition to the Dynamo roster.  Fafa has explosive straight line speed, speed that few MLS backs can compete with.  This should pair well with Tab's high pressing, counterattacking play.  Fafa has shown the ability to score, given that he was a double digit goal scorer (10) as recently as 2018.  Last year, despite the drop in playing time and losing his starting job in Dallas, Fafa's per 90 minute averages where consistent with his best years in Philadelphia.  At the age of 30, Fafa should bring a stabilizing, veteran presence to the front line.  Matched with Darwin Quintero's passing ability all Fafa should have to do is run, and stay onside.  He should open things up for the middle with his runs and finishing ability.

Fafa won't necesserily be valued for his ability to score goals, as his ability to help generate goals.  Can he win the ball in the attacking third and help create a quick strike?  Can his runs open up the middle for Quintero and the strikers?  Can he make the right pass in the final third to help create a goal?   While he will be needed to finish when the chance presents itself, Picault will be needed to help the offense flow.  Fafa could potentially be the most important pickup of the Dynamo this offseason.

Maximiliano Urruti

Urruti quietly had one of his most efficient seasons of his career last year.  His Shot on Target % and goals per shot were by far the highest of his career.  His goals/90 minutes was his highest since 2014, and his distance per shot was the closest of his career.  While his minutes and role where drastically reduced, he really flourished in Thierry Henry's system.  Urruti has always been an effective goal scorer, although never a big time one. Urruti is a smart player, who finds soft spots in front of the net and capitalizes on a big right foot.  

Maximiliano is a crafty vet, who at 29 years old has seen his production and minutes slip over the last two years.  Several questions remain about how he fits in Tab Ramos's scheme.  Can he create pressure up top?  Will he be able to capitalize on the counter attack?  With Darwin Quintero, Fafa, and Memo giving him support, there should be pockets for him to find.  If he can hold up to the rigors of playing at the pace Tab wants to play, he could see a revitalization to his 2017 form, when he scored 12 goals for FC Dallas.  The spot is his for the taking, as his primary competition is Christian Ramirez.  Unless something unforeseen happens he should be the go-to guy in 2021.

Christian Ramirez

Can I just say that I like Christian Ramirez?  He's such a good dude.  Taking the time to raise funds for the people here in Houston that suffered from the Winter Storm, and then the Lion King shirt with Memo, donating those profits to charity, he's just a solid human being.  He's also a solid striker, but not a highly efficient one.  Since his days terrorizing the NASL as part of Minnesota, he has never been able to come anywhere close to that production on an MLS level.  And while it's true that he's never been given anywhere near the opportunity he had in Minnesota before the jump to MLS, he is never shown to be anything more than a solid backup striker.  While his shooting accuracy is ranked in the upper echelon of the league, his ability to actually get it past the keeper isn't.  

Ramirez had a Shot On Target% last year of 53.8%, which ranked 16th in MLS.  Down only slightly from the year before (56.5%) when he ranked 6th. Ramirez ranks among the most accurate shooters league wide who's advanced stats and per 90 averages rank favorably with NYCFC's Héber.  However, his goal/shot on target percentage of .29 ranks him 137th.  Ramirez does a good job finding space and putting the ball on target, but he's not very adept at creating for himself or for others and lacks the clinicalness to put it past the keeper.  Ramirez is not a primary goal scorer, but can he be a primary contributor? He has the ability and makeup to be a 10-12 goal scorer-a-season type player in MLS, but whether he will ever be given the opportunity to do so remains to be seen.  

With Ramirez, you know what you get.  He's not a player with tremendous upside or unlocked potential.  He's solid, but limited.  Lots of questions still remain on how exactly he'll be used this season.  How does Tab manage his minutes with Urruti?  Is he given the chance to compete for the starting job? Do Urruti and Ramirez rotate based on matchups?  Do they play alongside each other with Quintero shifting to the outside in a 4-4-2 look?  I picture Tab switching up all of these scenarios, especially early in the season.  

Tyler Pasher

Pasher is in intriguing player.  Scoring 21 goals over 47 Regular Season appearances with the Indy-11, the Canadian born forward has a big left foot and a knack for making big plays.  Pasher's goal scoring has dramatically improved since moving to Indy after a stint with Swope Park Rangers (including 1 appearance with Sporting KC in 2018) in the USL.  Highlighted by last year's 10 goals (5th in USL) in only 1,208 minutes (15 aps/13 starts), Pasher has scored big goals when it counts. In 2019 he scored in each of the first two rounds of the playoffs to help Indy reach the conference finals before eventually succumbing to Louisville FC.  Pasher is dangerous off the break, has a nice first touch, and has developed a lethal scoring strike with his left.  He can finish nicely on the run as well as bang one up high from outside the box in traffic.  He has shown flashes and the ability to create on his own, and take multiple defenders off the dribble.

Pasher has been highly decorated over the last two years, bein included on the USL's Team of the Week 7 times in 2019, and 8 times last year.  Pasher was named Second Team - All - USL a year ago.  If he can make the jump, he could be a very nice addition to this Dynamo squad either on the left wing, or as a center-forward type player.

Final Thoughts

While this will not be a team with a 20+ goal scorer, there could be plenty of goals in it.   Darwin, Picault, and Urruti are all capable of scoring 10-12 goals in a season, and have proven it.  And while Darwin is capable of a +20 goal and assist season yet again, he needs others around him to help create space.  The Dynamo should look more balanced in attack than last year with the guys mentioned above.  An emergence from a player such as Mateo Bajamich or Ariel Lassiter could also happen.  Bajamich played will in his return to the Argentinian league this fall.  While on loan back to Instituto AC, he scored 2 goals over 7 games in the promotion playoffs. At only 21 years old, Bajamich could emerge as a viable option either on the right wing or at the #9.  

This is Darwin Quintero's team.  The attack will be as successful as he makes it.  The Dynamo didn't add a big time goal scorer this offseason, but they didn't need to.  They added a bunch of "if's", but if those if's come through they could make the jump to playoff contender.  

Thanks for reading.

Brian