Day & Night: Dynamo 2:0 Nashville S.C.

 

I realize that in writing this.....I probably sound like I have dementia or something.  Being that this team has been up and down all year, my mood has also fluctuated accordingly.  The game against Nashville was a night and day performance from the previous 4 MLS matchups. It was a combination of what we wanted to see, what we needed to see, and what we hadn't seen at PNC in quite some time.  It was a passionate, purposeful, and prideful exhibition that this city and fanbase have been dying for. There was a lot more to it than just the 2:0 scoreline, there was a reason for the final score.  Last night, the Dynamo were simply the better team.  They earned all three points.  They didn't "steal" or "have it handed" to them, they went out and beat a solid Nashville squad who hadn't lost a game this month.  Let's take a look at the key moments and players in a very encouraging win by #ForeverOrange.

Nagamura rotates the 11.

Setting up in a 4-3-3 that played out almost like a 5-2-3, Nagamura had Ceren staying back and at times dropping in between Parker and Hadebe. Ceren was also responsible for man-marking C.J. Sapong in transition and making sure he didn't get free runs to the goal.  Quintero was playing a quasi false nine up top, allowing Fafa and Thor to make runs over the top and cut in behind him.  It didn't take long for the lineup to show they were here to play.  With Nashville applying soft pressure up top, the Dynamo went right at them.  Darwin Quintero fired the game's first shot just:27 into the game.  After Ceren headed a deep ball by Big Joe Willis to Coco Carrasquilla, the race was on.  Coco found Memo with a nice quick pass, who tapped it to DQ on the run.  DQ set up just outside the box and fired a shot into the back of the legs of a defender.  It wasn't awe-inspiring by any means, but it was tone-setting. Zeka chased down the carom, connected with Fafa on a give-and-go, raced past Dax McCarty on the end-line, and hit a solid low-cross that was knocked away for the game's first corner.  The Dynamo were by far the more dangerous team over the first 15 minutes of play.  Paulo had his squad compact, the passing game was crisp, and the midfield was dropping into open space and connecting the ball to Fafa and Quintero up top.  Quintero fired a through ball to Fafa that just missed (Fafa let it go because he was offside), Coco tried to hit Thor on the run in the box, (which just missed) and while both found their way to Willis the Dynamo were actively probing the Nashville backline.

 Add to that the pressure the Dynamo were applying up top, and the midfield actively winning second balls and challenges.  Thor won a ball in the attacking third that lead to a corner 6 minutes in.  Coco and Memo both were winning balls in the midfield, and turning those plays into possessions.  Memo had a great tackle of Dax McCarty just outside his own box that DQ scooped up on the run and lost trying to cut back to his right foot.  It was another ball won deep in enemy territory that Houston needed to capitalize on, but in the end, wound up as a corner.  The corner went back to Lundkvist who put in a great ball to Hadebe, but Hadebe just couldn't get the ball down.

Coco breaks the game open.

At the 15:00-mark the Dynamo broke through.  It was a beautifully crafted chance that saw 5 Dynamo players touch the ball in the attacking third, a nicely placed through ball from Zeka to Fafa, a terrific pass to Darwin in the box from Memo, and a beautiful backheel from DQ back to Memo.  Memo absolutely blasted a shot that Big Joe could only parry away, and Coco was there to put the rebound in the back of the net.  While Coco was in the right place at the right time to put it home, the goal was crafted by great ball movement and well-timed runs.

The game turned quickly after.

The Dynamo continued to attack aggressively after the goal.  Thor, Fafa, and Tim Parker all had good looks at goals but just couldn't apply the finishing touch. The Dynamo were also defending with more purpose, more physicality, and more intent than I've seen them defend in some time.  Tim Parker, Coco Carrasquilla, and Darwin Quintero all went hard into challenges giving away fouls.  While they were giving away field position, they weren't letting Nashville have an inch of the pitch easily.  It was in the 35th minute that the hardest challenge happened. 

Adam Lundkvist broke late on a ball down the sideline to Alex Muyl and came sliding in with studs up, across both legs, and cleats high.  Even though it went to Video Review, I never had a question that it was a straight red. Paulo had to change his game plan quickly, down a man with 55 minutes left to play.  Sam Junqua subbed in for Thor to replace the departed Lundqvist and stabilize the backline.  The Dynamo didn't let down.  Immediately after the freekick, Memo stole a ball right outside his own 18 and fired downfield to Quintero who lofted a nice pass to Fafa on the run. Big Joe came out and got it, but it was a sign that Paulo wasn't content to park the bus and take his chances on keeping a clean sheet.  Fafa, Memo, Coco, and DQ were actively taking on Nashville defenders and looking to create chances. All 10 men defended with pride and tenacity.  

Right after it happened, Glenn Davis on the broadcast said "This is a character evaluation for the Houston Dynamo tonight with the sending off of Adam Lundkvist...".  The team went into the half up 1:0, but had been the better team for all 45 minutes of the game.  You had to wonder what adjustments would be made by both sides at half-time. When asked by Dany Rodriguez what the main instructions were in order to keep 3-points, Nagamura replied "Mentality.  To play a man down is about mentality, now grind out the result."  Gary Smith brought in his best playmaker (Hany Mukhtar)for Alex Muyl at the half, and Nashville came out applying pressure to the Dynamo deep down the field and throwing numbers forward.  

It was at 51:37 when that pressure came back to bite them.  After Tim Parker headed away a flick down the middle, Memo tracked back to win the ball and tapped it beautifully to Darwin Quintero.  DQ received it right in front of two Nashville CB's, and Fafa looped around to make a run down his right side.  Darwin laid him a beautiful pass, and as Fafa closed on it Big Joe came running out.  Fafa took a touch to cut outside just as Willis came diving at his feet.  Willis just clipped Fafa's ankle in doing so, and referee Hany Touchan immediately pointed to the spot.  DQ lined up, sent Willis right, shot left, and the Good Guys were up 2:0.  With the way #LaNaranja was defending, you knew this game was over.  Nagamura went heavy defensive with a 58th-minute sub, switching Ethan Bartlow for Darwin Quintero.  Bartlow set the middle of a 5-man backline, using Memo, Ceren, and Coco in the midfield and having Fafa set the high line.  

Amazingly, Nashville never really broke the Dynamo down.  CJ Sapong had one really good chance off a corner, and a 65th-minute header by Ethan Zubak were the only two real threats of the second half.  When Smith brought in a triple sub (minute 65) it didn't turn the tide.  This was one of the hardest-fought games I've seen at PNC. Paulo pretty much summed it up:

"WARRIORS!"

This is what it means to win as a team 🧡#HoldItDown pic.twitter.com/3zx1gFGStU

— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) May 15, 2022

The Dynamo looked like they had a plan.  They executed that plan.  They were more composed, dominant, aggressive, all the intangibles that get you wins in games like this.   I don't know if this is a trend, but it would be very nice if it was.

Final Thoughts:

1. The midfield dominated the game.  Coco was arguably the best player on the field last night, Memo had his best performance of the season, and Darwin Ceren was tremendous defensively.  If you add Quintero in that mix, who had by far his best performance of May, the midfield completely outclassed Nashvilles starters of Sean Davis, Dax McCarty, and Luke Haakenson.  
2. Tim Parker wasn't having it.  Parker straight up flattened a few Nashville players who had the audacity to come into his area with the ball.  He was big, active, physical, and intimidating last night.  Stepped in and squashed some beef that Hany Mukhtar had late in the game.  Parker was the enforcer the Dynamo needed last night.
3. Set Piece defense.  There were a few scary moments, but the Dynamo defended 10 corners and several free kicks without letting Nashville get one home. The Dynamo are middle of the pack in MLS on set-piece goals given up, but last night they managed to get their head on quite a few and nock them away.
4. Eddie and Glenn talked about "fighting spirit".  That tends to happen when your goalkeeper gets soo fired up he draws a yellow by running halfway across the field.  Clark was fired up, so was Teenage Hadebe, and while getting two yellows arguing for a card on an iffy tackle isn't ideal it showed they were there for the fight. Every man that stepped on the field had a positive impact on it and even the guys left on the bench were pouring themselves into the game.  It was a beautiful sight.
5. Defense: The Dynamo bent, but never broke.  Playing down a man and getting walloped in possession, Steve Clark only had to make 2 saves the entire game.  The defense was extremely solid last night at all levels and in all phases of the game.
6. Crowd:  There was a decent crowd and good energy at PNC last night.  Let's get a few more, let's get a little louder, and let's make 16,000 feel like 60,000. 

Thanks again for reading,

Remember to #HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange

Brian