Showing posts with label Pat Onstad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pat Onstad. Show all posts

Sunday, March 12, 2023

Dynamo Fans are already losing their minds, let's take this week off and refocus.

 

I'm not gonna lie, I'm grumpy.  I'm grumpy because we're 0-2, we lost a game against Cincinnati we should have earned a point from, I'm grumpy that we got embarrassed the next week, I'm grumpy because there's no game this week, we're playing Verde next, and because Dynamo fans are now complaining about...well....everything.  We've become Brick from Anchor Man, simply mad and shouting because we don't know how to handle all this.  I've read a lot of things the last week, and I'm going to try to go back and address some of them in a logical manner. I'm also going to address some things I'm sick of already, and use this as a bit of a therapy session for myself.

First of all:

I'm sick of hearing about "Inverted Wingers"

I get it. I understand the concept. I see other teams using it successfully. What we're missing here is that those teams have a lot of talent.   I see our team constantly look like we don't have a plan going forward, displaying dudes who can't finish (or pass) running into each other's space.  I see overlapping backs who either can't make plays with the ball at their feet or get back and defend (or both).  I see our back post constantly being exposed while our FB is trying to get back and cover it only to be 5 steps too slow. I see our CB's being put in bad positions a ton, and I also see most of our possession coming from passing it between our CB's for large sections of time.  I've seen us change coaches, players, and literally everything else, but yet I still see this garbage.  I honestly don't care what formation we run, I don't care if we want to be a possession team, a counterattacking team, or the boringest defensive team you've ever seen.  What I can't literally care about anymore is this concept: inverted wingers are the plan going forward.  If that's the key to unlocking our attack, go get Mo Salah/Darwin Nunes types.  If we are going to start Corey Baird or Thor there, find a different way.

"We can get anyone to do what Coco and HH can do for way less money"

Great, we just gutted our payroll and are back to being the lowest-paid team in the league again.  The same fans crying about this are the same ones that wanted the last ownership group out for failing to invest.  I could go around the world and talk about the cost of a good 8 in a 4-3-3.  Spoiler alert: they cost a bunch of money and don't put up a lot of key stats (Luca Modric).  Doesn't make them any less important, doesn't make them any less valuable. It's just their job.  I understand that MLS has, in the pass, had a cost associated with goals and assists.  That's changing.  CB's are starting to earn real money, and with Roman Burki goal keepers are too.  I literally don't care about how the Dynamo did things in 2006-2008, because THAT VERSION OF THE LEAGUE IS DEAD.  There were no DP's,  guaranteed contacts,  U-22 initiatives, or many other roster designations we have now back then.  The league is changing.  

Secondly, we have 3 DP spots.  Do we need more out of Sebas?  Sure.  Do we need more out of Teenage? Yup.  But you know who we really need....I don't know....anything out of?  Our Goal Keeper, RW, RB, LB and Ivan Franco.  Can we still buy down Teenage and get a legit third DP?  Yup, probably this summer.  Why does it take until summer?  Because that's when the biggest and best leagues in the world go on break. HH and Coco are our two most important players and have more asked of them than anyone on the field. It's the style and system we play. We need two pretty good players there, and we have those.  We need better players around them.  We hit HH because he's the highest paid player this team has ever had, and a top 10 highest-paid in the league.  I'm sick of the money portion of the conversation when it comes to HH because it gives some of us unreasonable expectations of him.  He's not a guy that's going to get you 20 goal contributions a year.  That's not who he is, that's not even what his position demands. HH's job is to control the game and get it to guys who make plays.  No, you can't find a guy just as good as him for $150-$600k.  Joao Paulo is the closest comparison, he's a DP too.  If they take a DP slot, it literally doesn't matter how much money they make because it all costs the same against the cap.  Some of us saw the figures that HH and Coco were bringing in, and set unreachable expectations.  I also think there's some jealousy there and (this is not my opinion, just calling people out) anti-Mexico sentiment. There are people that simply think he was brought here as an advertisement and nothing more.  I think every star is brought in as an advertisement, but if you listen to what Pat, Asher, and Ted have been saying, HH was brought in to transform the locker room and the mentality as well.  If he can get that done, I don't care what they paid him.

This is just the same ol' Dynamo:

No, this is a different version of the Dynamo......They're just (currently) still terrible though. I'll tell you one thing that's the same: the team loves to create chances they can't finish.  Last year's Goal Efficiency: (Goals Scored - XG): -1.3 (8th worst).  Through the first two games this year: -1.3 (4th worst in the league).  In 2020: -11.6 (5th worst in the league).  Sebas has actually helped that, because he's a solid finisher.  Despite not scoring a single goal from open play in 2 games this year, they're mid-pack in xG (13th).  The Dynamo are 5th in the league in shots/90, but have yet to score a goal from open play in 180 minutes. Tate Schmitt, our backup LB who is starting while Brad Smith rehabs a knee injury, has as many shots (4) as our two strikers combined (Sebas - 2, Thor 2) and more shots on target (3/1). There is a disconnect between this team and it's strikers, and a lack of creativity inside the box and final third.  

"I'm sick of watching players leave and immediately get better":

There's maybe 1 guy you could make that case for.  No, Fafa hasn't gotten better.  I've watched every Nashville game and he's the same Fafa that played here (which was the same Fafa from Dallas and Philly by the way). He runs, he draws fouls, he had an assist, he did all of those things here too. He also still gets the ball taken from him inside the box.  Mattias Vera has yet to see the field for Argentinos Junior, Darwin Quintero has been pretty decent for America (2 goals, 4 assists in 6 games), Memo has had two very Memo games for LAG (and has 0 goals and 0 assists), and Lundy's barely made it off the bench for Austin.  Sam Junqua had 2 uneventful minutes for Frisco. They haven't gotten better, they just play for better teams.  

Tim Parker has actually played really well, a lot of that has to do with him being in a system with a good level of protection around him. He's got two really good defensive midfielders in front of him, and their two full-backs have been there covering his back.  He's also got really good chemistry so far with his partner Kyle Heibert.  St. Louis is a really good fit for him.  I liked all these guys and wish them well, but we also cant pretend like they are just beating the pants off MLS out there.

I'm actually sick of watching all these new teams win:

We all are.  HEY PAT!  HEY ASHER! Can we get a good team too?  MLS is like....handing them out like Halloween Candy.  Can we jump in on that?  Can we get a TAM starter pack, an extra international slot (because some idiot permanently traded one of ours away), and some really exciting young players?  

If the Dynamo don't make the playoffs, Pat Onstad needs to go:

He'll probably get fired.  They all have come out and said the goal is to make the playoffs.  They haven't exactly said it's Playoffs or bust,  but I think they're feeling the pressure.  My only problem with all of this is that I don't think I've ever seen a fanbase so ready to just fire every coach and GM that steps foot in Houston before they've even played a game.  I'm not saying give it time, but it's going to take time, no matter how impatient we are.

Other Notes:

I'm extremely jealous of the atmosphere in these new clubs:

St. Louis, Nashville, Charlotte, Austin, Atlanta, LAFC, and Cinci have built great atmospheres and fan bases.  It's honestly what soccer SHOULD be about.  In game atmosphere during games is what sets it apart from every other sport on the planet.  I'm hoping that we can rebuild this in Houston.  I never got to experience the Robertson Days, but it would be great to stand there singing and cheering with all of you.  I'd love to hear 20,000 strong singing 3 little birds more than just 15 minutes before kickoff.  We should sing it after every time the other team scores.  There's a million things I'd love to see done, but more than anything I just want to see a packed Shell Energy with rowdy and fun fans.

One thing we agree on:

If you're reading this, you love the Dynamo.  We also all hate Austin.  We need a win, let's show up, bring some friends, and get behind our guys.  They for sure need us. Let's show up, show out, and #BringTheNasty

Thanks again for reading:
Remember to always #HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange,
Brian

Sunday, January 29, 2023

Houston Dynamo FC - 2023 Season Preview - It's time, for real.

 

Major League Soccer Season Preview (2022/2023) – Houston Dynamo



Basics: 


Full Name: Houston Dynamo F.C.
Nicknames: Orange Crush, El Naranja (The Orange)
Founded: December 15, 2005
Majority Owner: Ted Segal
General Manager: Pat Onstad
Stadium – Shell Energy Stadium 


Year Built: 2012
Capacity: 22,039
Attendance: 279,240 (16,426 per match; 21st in MLS) 
Trophies: MLS Cup - 2006,2007 MLS Cup (Runners Up) - 2011, 2012; U.S. Open Cup - 2018, North American Super-Liga (Runners Up) - 2008

Kits: 









Coach: Ben Olson

MLS Position: 13th in Western Conference (25th Overall)

U.S. Open Cup Result: Lost to Sporting K.C. 2-1 in the round of 16

Playoff Result: Did not qualify.

CONCACAF Champions League Result: Did not qualify.

Additions: Artur, Franco Escobar, Andrew Tarbell, Charles Auguste, Ifunanyachi Achara, Frantz Pierrot, Ivan Franco. Amine Bassi, Brad Smith, Tate Schmitt, Djevencio van der Kust
Losses: Tim Parker, Adam Lundqvist, Fafa Picault, Memo Rodriguez, Zeca, Zarek Valentin, Marcelo Palomino, Darwin Quintero, Darwin Ceren, Matias Vera, Sam Junqua, Thiaguinho
End of Loan: Joe Corona, Mateo Bajamich, Ian Hoffman

Before We Get Started:

Two bombs have hit Dynamo Media coverage this winter. First and foremost, I want to say thank you to the guys over at Dynamo Theory.  It's a harsh choice for SB Nation to drop their MLS coverage, an injustice to you guys, and a travesty to your fans.  You guys were part of my post-game routine, and I can't imagine you guys not being part of my Dynamo fandom.  Hopefully, you all find a way to renew and adjust, I know you have a ton of fans pulling for you.  Secondly, MLS to Apple TV will not have Glenn Davis on the broadcast for Dynamo games.  I'm hoping that Glenn will still do radio coverage for ESPN 97.5.  If so, the radio broadcasts are streamed online, and you can sync up the sound with your tv.  There should be no voice other than Glenn's covering the Dynamo.  He is the voice for this city, this fanbase, and #ForeverOrange.

2022 Overview: 

What a weird mixture of a year this was.  Before the season, we had exciting news in the biggest transfer in organization history, we had retained several veterans from years past, and hired a manager who had never been in charge of a professional organization but was known for developing young players.  The plan seemed convoluted from the start and somewhat schizophrenic in nature. It played out exactly as you would expect and the Dynamo found themselves in the exact same position they had been in when they fired Tab Ramos the year before.  In a season that brought amazing (Sebas' midfield goal vs. Austin F.C.), some young bright spots (Coco Carrasquila, Thor, Brooklyn Raines), there were simply too many unproductive holdovers from the Dynamo teams of the past.  While there were signs that this organization was changing, change had not come swiftly enough.

In what seems to be a yearly tradition, the Dynamo started off the season giving the fanbase some hope.  Losing only 1 of their first 6 games (3 wins, 2 draws) the team was showing signs of change.  The defense was steady, and while the attack wasn't producing goals at a rate that scared anybody, the Dynamo were picking up points.  April hit, the rest of MLS figured out Paulo Nagamura's system, and the complete lack of creative attacking play (especially wide) dominated the rest of the season. While the Dynamo saw an improvement in terms of goals scored, (43-36) the defense managed to closely replicate that of the year before (56-54). Even with the addition of Hector Herrera, the midfield often bogged down as they had no wide threats to keep the defense honest.  There were newcomers that left fans hoping that better times as upon us. Sebastian Ferreira (13 goals, 3 assists, 2,300 minutes played) and Thor Ulfarsson (4 goals, 1 assist in his debut season) were bright spots in the attack.  Brief glimpses of Brooklyn Raines showed a youngster that could change our midfield and eventually be the guy our academy has been waiting for.  The biggest news came in March when Hector Herrera decided to leave Atletico Madrid for #LaNaranja.  The Mexican National and key player for a Champion's League side was the type of signing this fanbase had been clamoring about for years. The team never meshed with each other or with Paulo Nagamura's style of play, and after a very arduous summer, Paulo Nagamura was fired on Sept 4th. without completing his first year as a professional manager.  We (the fans) found ourselves in the exact same position as we have been in for several years: wondering where this club was headed and if they'd actually ever change.  Pat Onstadt and Asher Mendehlsohn went to work reshaping this club and this franchise in a flurry of moves over the winter, and while we all wait with optimistic pessimism, we should see some fruits of that labor this coming spring.
  

This Winter was a season of major changes on and off the field:

While last season brought about some massive and much-needed changes to the way business was done for #ForeverOrange, it didn't bring with it results on the field.  New owner, new GM, a huge name, the biggest transfer in the history of Houston Dynamo, the highest salary ever paid, and a massive jump up the ladder in Total Wages paid.  While the Dynamo fared 6 points better than in 2021, they landed in the exact same position as the year before.  

This offseason Pat basically gutted the roster.  The Dynamo offloaded basically every holdover from the 2020 campaign and the Matt Jordan era.  Of the guys traded, sold off, non-tendered, etc., The Dynamo slashed 14,901 minutes of playing time off the roster and every single fullback the team had outside of Griffen Dorsey.  Six of their top eleven in terms of minutes played (2,4,6,7,8 and 11) and most of their main contributors off the bench are now no longer members of Houston Dynamo F.C..  Vera, Lundkvist, Parker, Memo, Fafa, DQ, Zarek Valentin, Tyler Pasher, Zeca, Ceren, and Junqua, are all names that will no longer be on the backs of those sweet Bayou City kits.  Pat opened up a bunch of cap space by moving on from some high-paid, unproductive veterans and also landed a few fairly lucrative TAM/GAM deals by moving Adam Lundkvist (Austin F.C. - $500k), Tim Parker (St. Louis F.C. - $500k ) trading their first pick in the MLS Super Draft ($375k), Fafa (Nashville F.C. - $250k), and loaned out Matias Vera for an undisclosed amount.  All in all 16 players that stepped on the field at some point in the 2022 season are now gone.  While the roster changes were much needed, the players they brought in seem to be upgrades.  While there are still questions over formation and who will play LB during Brad Smith's absence, Pat Onstad seemed to have addressed the need to put younger players around Sebas who can both take pressure off of him AND give him service.  

Additionally, there were multiple organizational changes that we should be excited about.  SRC FTBL has its headquarters in downtown Houston and is led by the man who built Seattle's analytics department.  Scouting and Analytics have been an enormous hole in the Dynamo organization over the last decade.  In his interview with Glen Davis on Soccer Matters (1/24/2023), Asher Mendelsohn said their Scouting and Analytics department basically consisted of him, Pat, and Paulo last year.  They added new partners, in Shell Energy, Arca Continental Beverages, Bay Area Credit Union, and others.  They revamped the coaching staff, not just with Ben Olsen at head coach but by bringing Aurélien Collin, Tim Hanley and Adin Osmanbasic, and Branden Burke.  But mostly, for the first time in a long time the Front Office seems to have a plan to build a roster: (1) Put playmakers around Sebas to get him the ball. (2) Strengthen the midfield with two-way, box-to-box midfielders that can defend, make plays, and connect to the front line.  (3) Get younger.  Also, Segal gave the stadium a nice little facelift.  The new seats are a nice change from the "Turn your rear-end into Grilled Cheese" orange seats of before, now if we can just move all games to 2:00 in the afternoon so we can really take advantage of the Houston summer.  Also, hopefully, we actually fill them.  The Dynamo aren't standing firm in any part of their organization.  Literally, everything, from the front office to the stadium is being overturned.  It's only a matter of time before this becomes the first-class organization we've been waiting for.


2021/2022 Position Outlook:

Goalkeeper:



Steve Clark, Andrew Tarbell, Michael Nelson, Xavier Valdez

In one of his first moves, Pat Onstad brought in a veteran goalkeeper with playoff pedigree to help change the culture in the dressing room and solidify the position.  Plagued by erratic goalkeeping and distribution from Marco Meric, Onstad sought to bring a rock between the posts.  A goalkeeper that could lead the defense and provide a consistent and professional level of net minding.  While Clark's 2022 was most definitely a disappointing one, he was also obviously an upgrade at the position over to what we had before.  Clark ranked 9th in MLS amongst starters in Save% (72%), 5th in total saves (103) and  10th in minutes played (2,905).  While Clark was definitely an upgrade and played generally well, he often was 1 play away from pulling points in a game.  Part of that was him, and part of that was the defense in front of him.  Clark faced the 5th most Shots on Target and had the 8th highest XG-against out of anyone in the league.  The Dynamo defense allowed the second-most Shot Creating Actions in the league (888), and the second-most shots (493) and the average distance of shot (17m) was third worst in the league.  To put that in context, on an average day Clark faced 5 more dangerous plays than his counterparts in Austin, 4 more than in Dallas, and 7 more than his counterpart at LAFC.  Clark would have had to have been Super Human for the Dynamo to compete. 









While Clark was sometimes steady, he ranked in the bottom tier in the league in most goalkeeping categories.  Clark also seemed to fade down the stretch.  There were often times in the last two months of the season Clark simply didn't stop balls that he did at the beginning.  He seemed a step slow, a 1/2 second late, or failed to react to the ball at all.    This actually has me worried about Clark for two reasons: (1) At 36 years old, will he remain agile enough to be a ball stopper when needed? (2) The Dynamo lost a lot of depth on the back line, and didn't really provide an upgrade.  Dropping 1/2 of their back line from the last two years was needed, but they added no CB in front of him, a LB that's coming off a serious knee injury, and a RB that's talented but also undersized.  They did add valuable depth, signing Andrew Tarbell as the #2. “We talked about adding more quality and depth to our roster this offseason and Andrew’s signing aligns with that intention. Plus, his experience on three different MLS Playoff clubs will be invaluable as we restore a winning mentality at our club. We welcome Andrew and his family to the city of Houston.”  Michael Nelson and youngster Xavier Valdez complete the roster.  Valdez has a chance to be the #1 long-term, but will most likely spend this year with Dynamo 2.  

Central Defense:



 Teenage Hadebe, Daniel Steres, Ethan Bartlow, Micael dos Santos Silva

The biggest question for the Dynamo this year won't be in the productivity of the newly acquired attackers, it will be in the effectiveness of the back line.  Teenage Hadebe is a good MLS defender.  Teenage is sometimes spectacular and occasionally erratic, but he's a talented and athletic Center Back who (when he's on) will shut down opposing attacks quickly.  Hadebe is one of the most productive Centerbacks in the league, ranking in the top 1/2 of CB's in every category offensively, defensively and passing.  Even though he ranked low in Aerial Duels Won, his 65% conversion rate is in the top 1/3rd of the league.  Hadebe has a tendency to sometimes misread his partner, allowing balls through that he shouldn't, or missing a mark on a cross because he defers to a partner that isn't there.  He rarely gets beat 1v1.  He's really good with the ball at his feet, is a very accurate passer, and can hit the deep ball out of the back. 


The problem though is who will play next to him.  Steres is a fairly low-priced veteran who will bring stability to the position.  While Steres is an excellent passer, he's not a very active defender.  Steres isn't a great tackler is space, he doesn't really attack opposing ball handlers, he's not fast or quick and he doesn't win balls in the air.  At 31 years old, he is what he is, and is one of the positions the Dynamo actually got OLDER at.  While he is at the level of MLS starter, is he enough to bring this team out of the basement?  I feel like this is one position that was downgraded this offseason, but one they desperately need.  Bartlow came a long way last year.  He was solid for HD2 all year, and the Dyanmo actually performed well in his 15 appearances.  Going 6-2-7 (3-1-5 with him in the starting 11), Bartlow's performances were highlighted by his twice posting 9 clearances (2-1 win vs. LAFC, 0-0 draw vs Sporting K.C.) and his 4 block, 4 clearance performance in a 3-1 win vs. Inter Miami.  Bartlow has a chance to be a starting-level player in MLS, and moving on from Tim Parker should help him see more minutes in 2023.  Bartlow has to be more active on the back end, but he isn't afraid to go into challenges and is usually where he needs to be when he needs to be there.  While he isn't a Dynamic CB, he can be a good compliment to Hadebe and looks like another MLS Super Draft Pick that will pan out. If the Dynamo can add an obvious upgrade here at a reasonable price, you would assume they would have to take it.  Other than that look for Steres and Bartlow to split time opposite Hadebe and occasionally share the CB duties together.  The outlier is Micael, who played mostly for DynaDos last year.  He did make one appearance for the first team, in a 3-2 loss to CF Montreal.  The score was tied 2-2 when Micael came on the field at half-time for Memo Rodriguez, and he showed signs of being a capable first-team member.  Most notably, the ability to connect on passes at all levels.  Micael was 23-27 passing in the second half hitting 10-11 short, 11-13 from fifteen to twenty yards, and 2-3 on balls over 30 yards.  He's solid with the ball at his feet, big (6'3" 190 lbs) and athletic.  He's one to definitely keep an eye on moving forward, but may continue to get minutes with HD2 as the season goes on.

Full Backs:



Griffen Dorsey, Brad Smith, Franco Escobar, Djevencio van der Kust, Tate Schmitt

In an offseason of change, Pat Onstad moved on from one of the most steady presences in the Dynamo Lineup over the last 5 years.   Adam Lundkvist played 9,927 minutes and made 111 starts over the last 5 seasons, and while moving on from players of this generation was much needed, Lundkvist is one I actually am sad to see go.  Adam brought all he had every game, never complained or pointed fingers, and was generally a good human.  You'd love to have a guy like that in your locker room long-term, but both he and the club felt the need to move on and Pat got a decent chunk of cash for him.  It's unfortunate that he moved on to Austin F.C. for Dynamo fans, but was still a no-brainer of a move.  Zeca? Zarek Valentine? Same Junqua? All gone.  It was one of the many positions that got a much needed makeover, and basically got wiped clean for a fresh start.

Griffen Dorsey, the one holdover, quietly turned himself into a steady MLS back and presence in the starting 11.  Making 19 starts and playing over 1600 minutes played, Dorsey is a workhorse RB who plays up and down the touchline.  Dorsey is a decent passer, who was second behind only Darwin Quintero in Goal Creating actions/90.  Dorsey completed 19 passes into the opponents' penalty box, and while he needs to get better on the defensive side of the ball he made huge strides in terms of positioning and going into challenges.  Every single defensive ratio was vastly improved from 2021, including Ground Duels won, Tackle %, and tackles + interceptions/90.  His passing rate also climbed from 72%-78% over the year.  I would assume that the intention is to start the year with he and Franco Escobar at fullback entering the season, as Brad Smith recovers from ACL repair. Tate Schmitt who was brought in as a trialist during the preseason did enough to earn a contract with the Dynamo this year. The former Real Salt Lake player actually came through as a striker, but is now playing defender after making the switch there playing for Real Monarchs in the USL. The left-footer has decent size and speed, and is fairly versatile considering his lack of MLS minutes.  He did post 860 minutes in 14 appearances (10 starts) for RSL last year, and should be a decent depth piece for the Dynamo this year. Djevencio van der Kust comes from FC Utrecht as what has to be seen as a developmental project.  “We are excited to welcome Djevencio to Houston and look forward to his continued development after earning competitive minutes in one of the top leagues in the world,” Dynamo general manager Pat Onstad said in a release. “He is a promising young player that we believe can make an impact this season. He was very clear about why he wanted to join the club and we’re excited to welcome him."


Onstad brought in two solid veterans with winning pedigrees to fill out the squad in Franco Escobar and Brad Smith.  Escobar is a very underrated MLS back, and has been one of the more productive RB's in MLS over the last 4 years. He's very good going into challenges, scoops up a ton of loose balls (223 combined in his 2 years in Atlanta), “Franco is a winner in our league. Since coming to MLS in 2018, he has won every major domestic trophy available, including two MLS Cups, a Supporters’ Shield, Campeones Cup, and the US Open Cup,” Dynamo general manager Pat Onstad said in a press release.“He will strengthen our backline and provide valuable experience to our locker room. We are thrilled that Franco chose Houston in the next step in his career.”  Escobar works at a similar rate to Adam Lundkvist on the defensive end, is very good bringing the ball forward, and is a very accurate passer.

Central Midfield: 



 Coco Carrasquilla, Hector Herrera, Artur, Amine Bassi, Juan Castilla, Brooklyn Raines, Daniel Rios, Charles Auguste,
 
In a series of moves, Pat Onstad brought down the hatchet on an underperforming, often overpriced midfield that has been one of the Achilles heels on the team for half a decade.  What's here now are three very good veterans and a flurry of young talent off the bench.  Coco, HH, and Artur are an interesting trio in the midfield, as they don't have a true creator in the bunch.  The three fit a flexible 4-3-3, as long as there is creative play from the edges.  Artur is more of a traditional 6, a deep-lying defensive midfielder that can get the ball back in multiple ways and get it downfield.  Replacing Matias Vera, Artur is a different kind of player.  He's bigger, better with the ball at his feet, and can break lines with the dribble and the pass.  Vera was always a ball hound in the middle, and one of the highest accuracy passers in MLS year in and year out. But he did little to get the ball forward and really struggled against high-pressing teams.  While he completed a ton of passes, they were mostly sideways and backward.  Artur, winner of the 2020 MLS cup with the Columbus Crew, will help protect the backline and can play the ball up to the players in front of him.  He's a bigger, stronger version of Vera who can play progressively, and at the same age as Vera (27) is a great addition to the midfield.

The pairing of HH and Coco should mean we'll see a drastic shift in the way the Dynamo go forward.  There is no more Darwin Quintero, meaning there is no #10 to play the ball through.  Coco really came on last year, especially as a progressive midfielder.  There weren't many better at taking defenders on regularly the way Coco was last year.  His 53 successful dribbles were 16th best in MLS, and his 69.7% success rate was second behind only Thiago Almada (71.2%) of players that attempted at least 34 dribbles.  His 170 passes completed into the final 1/3rd was 12th best in MLS, and his 128 progressive passes ranked 28th.  Coco has problems making that final play, but improved in every attacking ratio (GCA/90, key passes, passing %, dribble rate) last year, and at the age of 23 you can expect him to continue to uptick.  Coco is a true box-to-box midfielder, and partnered with HH will demand a lot from the players in front of him.  

While the results didn't trend with Hector Herrera, he was statistically brilliant for the Dynamo last year.  Hector Herrera brought something the midfield was desperately missing: A guy who can burn you with any pass at any time.  Herrera is a deadly accurate passer, especially downfield to players on the run. (Like this beauty to Sebas vs. Montreal). Herrera, at 32, has lost a step and has trouble keeping up with pacier MLS attackers, but he's extremely smart and knows how to position himself well.  He was successful at 70% of the tackles he attempted last year, and he turned those into passes sprayed all over the place.  Herrera was extremely poised on the ball and seemed completely unbothered by his opposing mark most of the time.  He was an instant impact from the second he stepped on the field, but many times the person on the other end of his passes wasn't up to the task.  Was he worth the price Ted Segal paid?  If you look at the results: no.  Is he a cornerstone piece that the Dynamo can build off of? Hopefully.  He needs playmakers and players around him.  He's not going to win you games by himself, but can definitely win you games.  His success will depend on the wing players added this winter panning out, and the defenders behind him shutting down attacks.  Regardless of the results, he's one of the better central midfielders in MLS.  Statistically, there are few even on his level.

What's really telling about the future of this midfield and the direction that they are heading is that they dropped Darwin Quintero, Memo Rodriguez, Mattias Vera, and Darwin Ceren and only brought in Artur as a replacement.  This should speak volumes about what they think of their two most intriguing academy products: Brooklyn Raines and Juan Castilla.  Both of these guys are hyperactive, tenacious defenders who will get the ball back and get it forward quickly.  Raines is a blur who flies all over the field, gets the ball at his feet, and wants to take people on. While he's young and still has a lot to learn, you could tell from his few first-team appearances in the USOC that he's a player, and he's not scared of MLS-level defenders or attackers. When Castilla is on, he's a wrecking ball of a ball winner in the midfield.  If you watched DynaDos this year, Castilla always caught your attention from the way he went after the ball. There has been a lot of conversation lately about the plan for Castilla, who put on a tremendous show for Columbia's U20 team this past week.  As of now, these two are the ONLY options off the bench for Ben Olsen, and along with Charles Auguste make up the midfield bench for the Dynamo (as of today) in 2023.  In my opinion, this is an awesome mix of featured midfielders with the ability to get Castilla and Raines on the field in order to develop.  It shouldn't be surprising for both of them to get between 700-1000 MLS minutes and make a combined 10-15 starts.  I would think that as Training camp goes on the Dynamo would look at a couple of things: (1) Utilizing Bassi in DQ's role from a year ago (2) A veteran midfielder to add depth, just in case.....(3) which formation is the best use of this collective group.  This isn't a sexy midfield, but it should be a very effective one.

Forwards: 



Sebastian Ferreira, Thor Úlfarsson, Baird, Ivan Franco, Amine Bassi, Nelson Quiñones, Beto Avila, Ifunanyachi Achara

Sebastian Ferreira was worth every penny.  The biggest transfer fee in Dynmao history, DP slot, $1.2 million dollar salary, all of it was worth the show that he put on over the 2022 campaign.  We all know the midfield strike against Austin F.C., and the touch and control in the above goal vs. Montreal, but add to that his brace vs. San Jose (Match Day 6), his 1 goal - 2 assist evisceration of LA Galaxy (Match Day 12), the poise and calm in front of net in both goals of a brace against Nashville, all while never getting the service he needed to be a truly dominant force in this league.  Ferreira only managed 65 shots for the year (26th in the league). Ferreira can be a 20-goal scorer in MLS.  There should be no doubt about that, the only thing that will stop him from doing that is the guys he plays with.  And the guys that he's been surrounded by are a big question for next year.  Iván Franco comes to Houston from Libertad in Paraguay.  The former teammate of Sebastian Ferreira, Franco once showed enormous promise scoring 11 goals and notching 5 assists in 40 total starts at the age of 18.  In the last three seasons, between various nagging injuries and a knee sprain, he saw a sharp drop in minutes played.  He does rack up assists at a high rate, notching 5 in 900 minutes played last year.  He plays nice through balls, he strikes the ball well, he can put it in the back of the net, but is opportunistic, and he plays mostly left wing (which the Dynamo are in desperate need of). What might be the most vital is that he's played with Sebastian Ferreira before, serving 2 seasons (2020, 2021) at Libertad with the Dynamo feature attacker.  The opposite wing will be occupied by either Corey Baird, Amine Bassi, or Nelson Quiñones.  Baird came on strong at the end of last year, posting 2 goals and 4 assists over his last 8 appearances (all starts).  He's a high-energy worker and might have found his niche playing on Ferreira's right side.  Newcomer Bassi is a solid technical player who has played the bulk of his career in the French 2nd Division.  He hasn't factored much for Metz the last two years and hasn't registered a goal or assist since 2020 when he played for Barnsley in the Championship.  The 24-year-old has played the bulk of his minutes as an attacking midfielder (FC Nancy-Lorraine) and has registered 28 goals and 23 assists in 145 appearances.  The honest report here is none of us should know what to expect from Bassi.  There's competition at RW, and he's never been an overly productive player.  He could be a perfect fit, or he could be another disappointing International Slot player.  The most intriguing may be the youngster Quiñones.  The 20-year-old is a burner, plays direct, has the chance to be a Dynamic winger in this league.  While he has a long way to go to, he could be the RW compliment this team needs. We could also see Thor at RW, or in a 2 strikers system (4-4-2) like Olsen used early in his DC United days.  Thor will definitely be in the mix in some way, after scoring 4 goals and 1 assist in his debut season.

Head Coach:


When Ben Olsen was hired as Coach, I read a lot of posts on Twitter, Reddit, and Big Soccer with a common theme: "Same old Dynamo." The pragmatic in me completely disagrees with this take.  Ben Olsen is not a guy with no professional head coaching experience known mostly for his ability to take youth teamers to the first team.  Olsen has 378 games under his belt as manager of DC United, and has the 9th most wins of any Coach in MLS history. He's had the best record in the Western Conference twice, and also had the worst record in the conference twice.  Is he a sexy hire?  Absolutely not.  What he IS is more qualified than anyone we've seen on the touchline in Houston in a very long time.  "Ben is an experienced MLS head coach with a strong track record of building playoff teams and developing young players,” Pat Onstad said in the press release “Ben is the right leader for our club as we begin making significant changes to field a more proactive, younger and competitive team in the coming years. We are excited to welcome Ben and his family to the city of Houston and we are already hard at work on the 2023 season.”

The only thing Dynamo fans want to know is "will he make the playoffs?" With a shaky backline, an aging goalkeeper, and many new attackers that need to adjust to the style of play in MLS, the answer is unlikely.  "Can the Dynamo make the playoffs with Olsen?" Absolutely.  He's proven he can do it, when the talent is there.  "Can he win the Cup?" That has yet to be seen.

Olsen was known in the early days of his D.C. United tenure for a 4-4-2, and a hybrid 4-2-3-1.  Recently he had bounced between a fluid 4-3-3 and a 3-4-3.  His teams are normally solid defensively, and have always had the ability to strike quickly when needed.  Mostly, his teams have had a quality striker paired with a solid midfield.  While Pat said that Paulo Nagamura was also the right hire, and I'm not sure Ben Olsen is THE answer, I do believe he's an obvious upgrade tactically and with his experience over Paulo, Tab, and Wilmer Cabrera.  

Synopsis: 

Pat Onstad routinely talks about a  "Proactive" approach to soccer.  After a year of watching it, I still have no idea what he means by it.  What can be absolutely sure is that he, Asher Mendehlsohn, and Ted Segal are 100% committed to making this not only a better team, but a better organization.  The new players will need time to gel, and adjust to the physicality of MLS.  As we saw with Sebastian Ferreira last year (who didn't score his first five games), the pace, speed, and physicality of MLS can take time to get used to, especially when playing in lower-tier leagues like Paraguay and 2. Ligue.  Finding the space and timing on the wings to be on the other end of a HH pass will take time on the training pitch.  Connecting the back line and knowing "who" and "when" Hadebe and Steres are marking will take time for the additions at FB and Artur.  This (on paper) should be a better team, but are they playoff capable is the question?

The Dynamo will have to answer the bell early as the first half of their schedule is extremely challenging. Cincinnati, New England, Austin, NYFC, San Jose, LA Galaxy, Seattle, NYRB and others, there's not a night off, especially with the first two on the road.  This team has lost a lot of goal scoring and playmaking in DQ and Fafa, they lost a key CB in Tim Parker who the neither replaced nor upgraded.  There are still lots of questions as to who will play, how they will play, and whether some of the new players can play at this level.  There are questions around whether Ben Olsen is the guy who won the Western Conference in the regular season, the coach who got bounced in the first round of the playoffs, or the guy who won the wooden spoon.  There are soo many questions that can't be answered until we actually see this team on the field, the only thing we know is that it will be very different from the one we saw last year.

Prediction:

With the league expanding to 18 playoff teams this year, there is a decent chance the Dynamo sneak into the playoffs.  Olsen will have them more organized, despite the uncertainty around the back line they will concede under 50 goals for the first time since 2017.  Sebastian Ferreira will be one of the most productive strikers in MLS, and the Dynamo will finish 9th in the Western Conference.  They will make a run to the round of 16 in the U.S. Open Cup, and will benefit from the additional playoff slots.  If they do get in, an early exit will be anticipated.

Thanks again for reading, 
Remember to always #HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange

Brian 

Monday, August 8, 2022

Stick a fork in this team: They're done.

 

This loss was about mental lapses and execution.

This team doesn't know how to win.  In what has become a common theme with this group of players over the last two years, there were multiple opportunities to put this game away, and on both sides of the ball, the team failed to execute.  From one of the team's biggest stars to their role players failing to fulfill their role, this loss is an epitome of what is wrong with this team: the roster.  While some bad luck definitely aided to this loss, the poor execution and mental lapses that happened throughout the second half cost the Houston Dynamo 3 points and, in essence, ended their season.  The mental lapses happened in all phases of the game and reared their ugly head most at the worst possible time. 

This was (on paper) a matchup of two fairly evenly matched teams, both of whom are struggling to find wins.  Vancouver, down 7 men to start the game and playing without Lucas Cavellini in the starting 11, was the most dangerous team from the early goings. Julian Gressel was a constant threat on from the wing, getting the ball deep in the attacking third and firing in dangerous crosses. After the first goal, Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini changed up the defense, pressing the Dynamo back 4 when they were in possession.  While the Dynamo managed to dominate possession in the first half (63%), they did very little with it.  Managing only two shots on target, (both by Fafa Picault), the Dynamo were doing very little dangerously in the final third.  There were opportunities, Thor twice had the ball deep in the attacking third 1v1 with Tristan Blackmon, twice he was unable to do anything with it, and twice we came away with nothing. 

The Dynamo were in trouble despite the 1:0 scoreline.

The second half was a much different story.  Vancouver had us pinned back deep from the second-half kick.  Pressing our backline and man-marking our midfield, Vancouver was stifling any opportunities going forward.  The deep passes that were hitting in the first half weren't there in the second half, and for the first 5 minutes, the Dynamo managed only one touch on the opposition's half of the field. Vancouver dominated the run of play in the second half, creating most of the scoring opportunities (9 shots - 3) and big chances created (5-2).

At the 50th minute mark, the Dynamo got their first real chance.  It was an opportunity that should have been the game clincher, but instead, we got this:

These are plays that separate winning and losing.  These are the plays that separate playoff contenders from wooden spoons.  With a chance to go up 2-0 on the road, El Cientifico del Gol chooses a flying scissor kick a ball for no reason, whiffs at the chance, and cost his teammates a goal.  This isn't a rookie Thor we are talking about, it's a 34-year-old veteran in his 17th year as a professional.  These types of plays are inexcusable.  These types of plays HAVE to be made.  On top of that, this was Darwin's only shot opportunity of the entire game.  He has to capitalize.  

Thor also had a big chance (59:24) that just failed to go in.  While credit needs to go to Cody Copper for getting a touch on it, and credit to Thor for making a nice move in the box and putting a good shot on target, look at Fafa Picaut in the final frame.


This game should have been 2-0 at this point.  Fafa has to at least make a play on this ball. If you watch the body language by the guys on the field after this play, Fafa has his head down, Sebas turns around and is walking back, the only guy with any pep on screen is Thor.  The midfield (Hector Herrera especially) is jogging back.  And while the next possession turned into a cross that Tim Parker cleared, you could see frustration begin to take over this team.

This chance (note the time) turns into nothing:

The Downfall:

While I've seen criticism of Nagamura for his late-game substitutions in this game, I actually don't get it.  Up 1-0 in the 72nd minute, Paulo began to get all of his best defenders in squad into the game.  It was a conservative and smart tactic on the road.  
  • 72nd minute: Griffen Dorsey and Coco -> Sebas and DQ
  • 83rd minute: Ethan Bartlow and Zeca -> Thor and Zarek Valentine
Paulo parked the bus, sat deep, and packed it in in a 5-4-1 with his fastest and best defensive forward (Fafa) setting the high line. 
The lineup (Dorsey, Parker, Steres, Bartlow, Junqua on the back line, Zeca, Ceren, HH, Coco in the midfield) should have been able to lock down this game.  But they didn't.  While the first goal was a bit unfortunate, the second goal was a combination of mistakes and turned 3 points into 0. The first goal, given to Simon Becher an MLS veteran of 9 total minutes...(yes, you're reading that right), tapped one home in the 88th minute to make it 1-1. 

While I say it was a bit unfortunate, it was also helped by a momentary lapse in concentration by Zeca, who lost his man (Ali Ahmed) and gave him a free run to the middle.  Tim Parkers deflection of Ahmed's pass wound up right at the foot of Becher, who managed to tap it home for the equalizer.  

Instead of grinding this game out for a draw, the Dynamo chased a second goal, opened themselves up, and gave up the winning goal less than 4 minutes later.   Lucas Cavellini's right-footed blast sealed the game.  Clark should have stopped it, didn't, and the Dynamo are no 3 points poorer because of a collective effort.


Despite the math, this team is done.

While playing the kids shouldn't be the goal at this point, moving on from guys that shouldn't be back should be.  There are a lot of players that are playing big roles that have yet to help us get over the line, and they need to stop seeing the field.   We need to figure out if guys like Bartlow can carry a week-in, week-out workload, so we can move on from more expensive options on the team (Steres, Parker).  We need to see if Beto Avila can help fill a role as part of the rotation next year.  It's time to give these guys extended looks.  And while I'm not a proponent of bringing the Dynamo Dos guys in, I'm not necessarily against it either.  Going to watch games at Aviva, and looking beyond the scoreline, I'm not sure how many of those guys help change results this year or next.  Other than Brooklyn Raines and possibly Xavier Valdez, I'm not sure any of those guys have a positive impact on the squad.  They're good, and much credit to them for what they've done this year, but I'm not throwing them in there just out of spite to guys that have been here.  They need to earn it.

Thanks again for reading, 
Remember to always #HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange
Brian

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Houston Dynamo 2:1 San Jose Earthquakes - The Good, the bad, & the Ugly


Let's take a little time and just let this set in.  After a 2:1 victory on the road against the San Jose Earthquakes, we have a few days to sit back, evaluate, and breathe.  Dynamo fans have been lighting up social media with depression over the team's current state, pleas for help, and anxiety over what will happen during this Transfer Window.  While all those feelings are warranted, let's just take a moment to enjoy a glimpse of success.  After going just 1-5-1 over the previous 7 games, it's nice to have a come-from-behind win on the road to enjoy.  The win showed both key plays from struggling players and stretches of play that were extremely poor.  Here's a breakdown of the key takeaways: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly. 

The Good:

While it wasn't the prettiest, it was a good team performance:


There's a lot of 7's on there.....

Fafa Picault:  



With full awareness that I might get eviscerated for putting his name in here, Fafa had a decent game and made the play that led to the first goal.  His streaking interception to win the ball back in the opponent's box and assist to Sebas all alone in front of the net was the key play that changed the tide.  While many (including myself) have wanted to see the Dynamo move on from Fafa this year, it was nice to see him make that play and simply do what was needed to be done.  

Fafa was applying good pressure from the opening kick, and was extremely active on both wings. Fafa had several opportunities early on to break the game open.  He (as he often does) did too much with them and couldn't put the ball in the net.  However, he was a constant threat in behind the San Jose defense the entire game.  Also had a nice cross to Thor, but Thor wasn't looking for it.

Sebas:  

Easy one.  Came on in the 68th minute and immediately changed the game.  Scored the first goal, and attacked the ball twice to help win it back deep in San Jose's half which led to the second goal.  Sebas had actually been fairly steady before going goal-less in his last 4 appearances, and not even making it off the bench on Tuesday.  Paulo Nagamura had a.....well.....interesting quote about Sebas before the game.

Maybe Paulo was right and Sebas just needed a break........maybe he was dinged up, maybe there was something else. I don't know and honestly, I don't really care. What I do know is that there should never be a time where Sebas doesn't make it into a game especially against Austin F.C. after he was pulled early the game before. Even with the dry spell, he's got 7 goals and 3 assists in his last 12 appearances, which is nothing to be ashamed of. He needs to hold that form with the schedule we've got the rest of the way.


Tim Parker:

Came up with the biggest save of the night, at the biggest moment of the night.  Hector Herrera owes him and Mr. Woodson a steak dinner. Tim had a fairly solid game before that, with 2 tackles, a couple of interceptions, and 6 clearances.  He had a fairly poor yellow, given that Benjamin Kikanovic had no real chance to get to the ball, but I'll even take that.  Tim's our enforcer, sometimes an enforcer has to do enforcer things.   It wasn't the best use of a Yellow, but it's really my only complaint about him on the night and it wasn't a huge one.

Parker helped hold Jeremy Ebobisse to only two touches inside the penalty area, and neutralized his only dangerous touch of the game.  Ebobisse, tied for 3rd in the league with 11 goals, never got a clean look at goal with the exception of the 1 Paker went full Super Hero mode on.  Parker and Hadebe combined to hold Ebobisse to only 20 touches the entire game.  This was probably Parker's best game of the year, even without even taking the brilliant shot stoppage (74th minute) into account. Parker's save was even bigger when you realize what happened next.

The Bad:

The first half:

The first 45 left much to be desired.  Both teams seemed content to get through he first half and move on to the 2nd.  Outside of Coco Carrasquilla, and a couple of good runs from Fafa, there wasn't much going on for either side. Of the 9 combined shots in the first half (5 for San Jose, 4 for the Dynamo) 7 where either off target or blocked.  Only Christian Espinoza (12:07, saved by Clark) really threatened for either team.  Especially after about the 30th minute, both teams kind of parked it and seemed resigned to go into the half 0-0.  The second half definitely picked up, but the first half was pretty slow and uneventful.

Hector Herrera:

Don't get me wrong, it's not that Hector Herrera was terrible in his starting debut.  It's weird to say this, but of his 66 touches in the game, the only one that is really remembered was the terrible mistake inside his own box.  You could point out his really nice left foot cross (15th minute) that accidentally hit Fafa and would up bouncing of Teenage's face when he whiffed on a scissor kick, but even that was about it.

The Ugly

Thor's defending the back post:

Thor completely misread the rebound and went flying towards the endline.  While he was flailing around trying to recover, Jackson Yuell never moved and the ball fell right in his lap.  

Whatever Sebas was doing with his shorts:


This doesn't really need commentary.  And if he keeps scoring goals, he should keep doing it.

Next Up:


Minnesota United: 2022






Run of Form:

The Loons are unbeaten n their last 5, outscoring their opponents 11-6 in that span. Fortunately, for the Dynamo, The Loons also have a friendly against Everton on Thursday.  Minnesota United is a top 10 defensive team once again this year, and are especially good defensively at home.

Houston Dynamo: 2022







Until Next time:
Thanks again for reading,
Remember to always #HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange
Brian

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Houston Dynamo - Vancouver White Caps.

 

Pregame Talk:

There was some buzz pregame when starting 11's were introduced.  Fans have been waiting to see Coco Carrasquilla and Darwin Quintero in the starting lineup, and after two scoreless games Paulo Nagamura made the switch.  And while there was buzz around this, Pat Onstad also dropped a bomb during the pregame show.  When asked by Glen Davis about the GAM brought in by the trading of Derrick Jones:  "Yeah, we're looking to spend that right away. We have somebody lined up, hopefully in the next week or so.....we'll be able to announce.....in an attacking position. We need to get some more players in here I think to help the group. But what we are excited about is the group we do have. I think they work really hard defensively.  We gave up 59 goals last year, so far we've only given up one.  So that's good but on the other side, you know, we haven't scored yet. So hopefully we can go bang in a few against Vancouver."  It's an exciting time to be a Dynamo fan, this group is being aggressive as far as getting new guys in here.  No idea who Pat is talking about, but hopefully it's a 10 or a right-winger to help with the attack."  

While this statement perked up my ears, what happened on the pitch over the opening 30 minutes perked up my eyes.  Coco and Quintero didn't disappoint and did more for the attack in the first five minutes than the midfield has done all season. Coco's ability to break lines with lights out passing and Quintero's ability to....well....be Darwin freaking Quintero was a much-needed sight for La Naranja and Paulo Nagamura.  The game started off fast, the Dynamo came out aggressive early, and even though they fell behind 1-0 managed to battle back and take control of the game.  In a game that featured a lot of firsts, the 3 points were much needed, and hopefully there's more to come.



The first 30 Minutes:

From the opening possession of the game, the Dynamo held firm on the back two lines forcing Vancouver to play over the top.  Setting up in a 4-3-3 that played more like a 4-2-3-1, with Quintero really pushing high and playing in space behind Vancouver's midfield, the Dynamo were looking to play long balls through the lines to Quintero, Baird, and Fafa.  It returned immediate dividends. On their first possession, building from the back, Griffen Dorsey fired one down the right touchline to Sebastian Ferreira who one-touched it to a trailing Corey Baird. Baird fired it to Darwin about 30 yards from goal in the middle of the field.  After some quick combos from Quintero and Sebas, Quintero tried to play a through ball that just missed a streaking Sebas, but found Corey Baird trailing behind.  Baird fired in a near-perfect cross that just missed Fafa's head at the back post.  Quintero chased the loose ball down and fired a right-footed bender that goalkeeper Thomas Hasel just managed to get a hand on and knock over the net.  It was 1:30 into the game, but the Dynamo had let their intentions be known. 
Not only were the Dynamo pushing the ball with tempo and purpose, but they were also defending and pressing much higher than in the previous two games.  The first ten minutes saw the Dynamo look increasingly threatening, and the White Caps were barely able to get the ball across midfield.

5:00 - Quintero tries to play Fafa through, the pass is just a hair too long.
5:30 - Sebas puts pressure on Hasel, who hits one directly to Baird.  Baird heads it to Quintero, Quintero plays it to Vera, who hits one just over the crossbar.
6:30 - Dorsey dribbles through the entire Vancouver team, fires in a cross that gets deflected by Dajome, and ends up in the lap of Hasel. High pressing wins them a Throw-in deep in the final third. 
7:55 - Sebas finally gets the ball in a dangerous position with space, fires a shot that's deflected, and earns a corner.
9:30 - High pressing forces Vancouver to play the ball long from deep in their own third, Parker heads it to Coco who earns a foul. 
11:00 - Pressure once again forces a bad pass from Vancouver, Parker plays it to Baird who earns a foul.

That's when disaster struck. In really their first possession in some time that went into the attacking third, off a throw-in and after some quick combo play, Ryan Gaud laid a perfectly weighted pass to Cristián Dajome who was streaking down the sideline after throwing the ball in.  Dajome hit a pinpoint cross on the first touch, Lucas Cavellini found his way behind Daniel Steres and blasted it past Steve Clark.  Steres got too wide of the posts, Parker didn't get over in time, and Cavallini found the space and side-footed it to the near post.  It was the only threat Vancouver had had in the opening 15 minutes, and they found a way to capitalize on it.  
Although Vancouver broke through, it really didn't seem to phase the Dynamo or alter their plan.  They just went right back to it.

17:30 - Ball played up to Fafa, Fafa takes on Tristan Blackmon and wins a corner.
18:00 - Quintero fires in a corner that just misses Fafa, Coco chases down the ball and fires in a dangerous cross, but a goal kick is given.
18:30 - Fafa steals the goal kick, races past everyone and fires a cross to Sebas that Hasal manages to steal away.
20:00 - Dynamo take the ball away again in the attacking third, and after some excellent quick touch combo plays, Darwin corrals the ball and fires a shot that is deflected out of bounds earning a corner.
20:30 - Dynamo short play the corner, Coco fires in another cross that just misses Sebas' head, earns another corner.
21:42 - Dynamo take away a clearance at midfield, play it up to Coco who earns another foul.  After the foul, Darwin fires a great ball into the box, which is knocked away by Hasel.  Coco takes the rebound and fires a blast that is deflected, which Baird chases down and fires one wide.
25:00 - High pressure sees Quintero take the ball away from Leonard Owusu.  Quintero takes the ball and lobs a dangerous pass to a racing Fafa, ball ends up in Hasel's lap.
29:46 - After building from the back and switching field a couple of times, the ball finds Darwin Quintero on the right flank who chips a lob to Sebas, but Hasel goes up and gets it in front of him.
30:49 - The high press gets Vancouver again, as Baird forces a bad pass by Florian Jungwirth. Coco tracks the ball down and one-touches it to Sebas.  Sebas has Fafa wide open on the left flank, but tries to do too much with it had has the ball taken away.

The first 30 minutes were dominated by the Dynamo, they were by far the better team in every way except the scoreline.  Most of it was spent in Vancouver's half of the field with the Dynamo looking extremely threatening on the end of almost every possession.  It was an exciting, but frustrating start.  Things would turn however, over the next 15 minutes.

The Next 15 minutes:

After Vera won a foul at the edge of the attacking third at the 31:00 minute mark, the Dynamo quickly found Coco who carried the ball left.  He found Fafa ducking inside about 30 yards out, and cut back inside to his right.  Fafa laid it back to him, and Coco lobbed an unbelievable pass over the top to Baird who had found his way behind Vancouver's back three.  While their entire backline lobbied for an offsides call, Baird tracked it down and just managed to hit Darwin right in front of the net to level the score.  It was a really good play by Baird, but the Dynamo were helped out by Vancouver just giving up on the play.  Vancouver, however, started to find cracks in the Dynamo defense.  Lundkvists huge block on Cavellini in the 34th minute was one of several huge plays by Dynamo defenders on the night and helped save 2 points.  Moments after, Baird found Quintero just outside the box who fired a left-footer on target, but Hasel just manages to knock it away.  The last 15 minutes of the first half was much more even, and a lot slower paced.  The Dynamo got into the dressing room tied 1:1, but had really been the most dangerous team without question. 

The Next 15 Minutes:

The second half started much like the first half ended.  The opening 5 minutes was fairly slow-paced, back and forth and even.  When Lundkvist gobbled up a poor touch from Ryan Gauld in the 49th minute and fired it upfield to Coco, that turned quickly.  Coco took one good touch, and fired a laser to Sebas 30 yards downfield and just outside the box.  Sebas had two defenders on him and tried to cut back to his right with Florian Jungwirth charging hard. It's hard to tell if Sebas took a bad touch, fumbled under the pressure, or meant to pass the ball, but the ball wound up right at the feet of Darwin Quintero who scored a golazo from about 20 yards out.  The blast found the top right corner, clean past a diving Hasel.  

The next ten minutes was more back-and-forth action, as each team was really working the high press and spreading the field. Quintero just missed Sebas a couple of times.  And while both teams managed 1 more shot over this span (Dajome's 56th-minute scooter through a pack of players that went wide, and Vera's 60th-minute blast off a corner clearance that was blocked), neither team really managed anything of danger.

The Final 30 Minutes:

Minutes 70-90 belonged to Vancouver.  After Vanni Sartini subbed on Marcus Godinho and Deiber Caicedo in the 66th minute, the tide seemed to turn. From minutes 70-90, Vancouver managed 10 shots on goal, although only one was really close.  6 of those shots came in a 70th-minute flurry off back-to-back corners after Steres headed a Dajome cross out of bounds.  The first flurry saw a header hit the crossbar, and then Dorsey made a tremendous play going up and blocking Lucas Cavallini's header with his head from just inches away. Vancouver found the ball twice more, for two more shots inside the box that were both blocked by a wall of Dynamo defenders.  The second flurry had Caicedo miss-hit the corner (which was blocked by Parker) and Tristan Blackmon track that down and mishit one that Clark gobbled up.  Time and time again the White Caps threatened, and time and time again Dynamo defenders stepped in front of shots.  At the 75th minute, Paulo subbed on Memo, Thor, and Ceren for Quintero, Ferreira, and Carrasquilla, and the game settled back down a bit.  Thor had a great chance off an 82nd-minute set-piece that he just mis-hit into the ground, but it still managed to make Hasel dive to get the bouncer off the post. The Dynamo managed one more barrage of blasts in the 90th minute which saw Memo blast a free-kick off the crossbar that just missed the top left corner, which a defender tried to clear but it hit Darwin Ceren and deflected back in play.  The ball found it's way back to Thorinside the box, and he turned fired a left-footer that was saved by Hasal. 

Notables:

Coco Carrasquilla

Had an unbelievable night.  10 recoveries, 3 interceptions, 17 pressures, 236 Yards of progressive distance, 51/51 in targets received, 2 fouls drawn, 71 touches, 54/60 on passing, including 11/14 on deep balls, 1 key pass, and 4 through balls, and 6 passes completed into the attacking third.  He generated 5 shots and was part of both goals. He was all over the field and was instrumental in many of their chances and buildup play.  He and Quintero played off each other all night, and he got the ball to Baird, Fafa, and Sebas in areas where they could do something with it.  Was really nice to see this, and wish he would have been healthy from the get-go.

Darwin Quintero

Did what Darwin does.  63 touches (45 in the attacking third, and 5 inside the penalty box), his two goals don't tell the entire impact he had on the game.  He was breaking lines with the ball at his feet (4/5 in taking on defenders, 104 yards in progressive distance), he was dicing Vancouver up with passes (13 progressive passes completed, 2 key passes, and was trying to force-feed Sebas all night while still dominating the game), and he was actively defending in the attacking third (10 pressures in the attacking third, 5 recoveries.)  I know Darwin can't play 90 minutes a night 34 games a year, but here's to hoping he is making starts and playing 70+ minutes more often than not over the rest of the year.

Griffen Dorsey

Dorsey made a case for himself last night.  Defensively (9 recoveries, 2 tackles, 1 recovery, 2 blocks and an unbelievable goal-line clearance, 100% defending 1v1), Offensively (54/60 passing including 10/13 on deep balls, 4 passes into the attacking third, and 3 through balls completed) and in possession (173 yards covered with the ball at his feet, 43/43 in receiving targets), Dorsey played like a guy fighting for his job and didn't disappoint.  With Zeka still waiting to make his first start, Dorsey made a strong case to keep the job for now.

Sebas

The Dynamo were trying to force-feed Ferreira the ball last night, and the results were mostly disappointing. Not because he didn't score a goal, but because many times he was trying to do too much with it.  He got the ball taken away from him several times inside the box, he took too many touches often and missed open teammates.  He did (accidentally) notch the assist on Darwin's second goal, but he needs to relax and let the game come to him more.  He did manage 3 shots, but all were blocked.   

Corey Baird

It wasn't always pretty, but he got the job done.  Baird did a good job leading the defense, posting 2 tackles in the attacking third, both of which led to chances. He notched an assist on Quintero's goal and linked up with Quintero several times which led to a shot on goal. It wasn't always pretty, he gave the ball away too many times, but it was the most productive performance for Baird in a Dynamo uniform. 

Minor Notes:

  • Teenage Hadebe looked terrible in the minutes he got down the stretch. He mistimed a header badly right before blocking the second shot.
  • Adam Lundkvist also had a very quiet but highly productive night. Lundy had a big block in the first half and turned several Vancouver mistakes into counterattacks.  
  • I love the supporters' sections totally firing up the Orange Smoke.  We need more of it.  PNC should be covered in Orange Fog when tipoff hits. I want 360° of Orange hell when our starting 11 walks on the field.
  • The Dynamo now rank 1st in MLS in passing success rate (85.3%, slightly ahead of LAG) after ranking last for most of last season.
  • The Dynamo held 58.7% possession last night and now rank 11th in MLS with 54% on the season.
  • On the night of firsts: First Win, First Goal, Nagamura's first win as an MLS manager, First start for Quintero, First Start for Carrasquilla, the first appearance for Hadebe on the year, and first goal or assist for both Baird and Sebas in a Dynamo uniform. There's probably more, but those are just off the top of my head.

Next Up

Saturday, March 19th @ 7:30
PNC Stadium


Thanks again for reading, feel free to drop a comment.
Remember to #HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange
Brian