April 9th, 2008 . 3:12 pm . By: Buzz Carrick

I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food. – Anchor, Chum, and Bruce

The list of the walking wounded is getting long and worrisome.  FCD needs to get fit and healthy for the season start as there’s a long way to go.  Bit on the chilly side today, so it might have been a good idea to hold some of these guys out.  It certainly didn’t help Cooper any.

News, Notes, & Observations

- Alex Yi retired yesterday, in case you missed it.

- David Wagenfuhr is still having headaches.  Morrow says Wags is seeing a bunch of specialists to try and figure the problem out, but nothing is really showing up on the tests.  I am by no means a doctor, but the recurring headaches are very troubling to me.

- Bobby Rhine has a hip flexor tear and is out 2 to 3 weeks.

- Dax McCarty was held out today as a precaution. He’s had a stiff back and got a shot in it yesterday to help “calm it down.”  So he didn’t train today.  Tomorrow Dax will try and go and will be available this weekend depending on the reaction.  If Dax can’t go Morrow said Rocha and Dello-Russo would be the options in the wide right spot.

- Josh Lambo had a successful surgery on his jaw.  It was fractured on both sides, which is scary to think about.  Morrow says the concussion is better and Lambo already wants to train.  Unfortunately, he’s out 5 more weeks.

- Marcelo Saragosa trained full speed today and, if he holds up, should be cleared to play.

- Kenny Cooper took a shot in the back in the Houston game, and while he was fine this morning it stiffened up during training today and he left mid-session.

- Pablo Ricchetti had some sore ribs in his back from the Houston game, but that turned out to be ok today so he should be fine to play.   He trained with a chest wrap but took it off halfway through training.

- DouDou Toure is gone.  Morrow says they couldn’t work out a deal with him and the league for multiple reasons.  FCD is talking to Toure’s “people” to try and keep him in the FCD system.

- Michael Dello-Russo and Morrow have been discussing a loan to Atlanta of the USL.  Morrow says nothing has been worked out, but Dello is interested in going.  Might not be a bad idea as Dello isn’t up to MLS playing time yet and USL might help him progress.

- Two guest keepers still around: MLS pool goalkeeper Mike Graczyk out of New Mexico, who may be the best pool keeper I’ve seen; and Jaime Barrientos, who’s a local 28-year-old who Marco said is trying to catch on with the DFW Tornado.

- Morrow says FCD is still looking for a striker.  As a reminder, the transfer window closes on April 15th, but there is a second window.  FCD can add an out-of-contract player any time they want.

- By the way, Juan Pablo Angel is questionable for this weekend.

- St. Lucia lefty defender Sheldon Emmanuel is still here.  He’s wearing #32, even though it’s slightly odd for a trialist to be given a number.  Morrow mentioned trading for an international spot as a likely option if they decide to add him.

- Assistant coach Jorge Alvial wasn’t around.  Morrow says he was inside doing more off-the-training-ground kinds of things.  Behind-the-scene stuff like watching tape, analyzing opponents, scouting players, etc.  Morrow says, going forward, he’ll do less on the training ground and more behind the scene.

Catching up with Morrow

The translations are a bit.  I don’t speak for Morrow.

On Sheldon Emmanuel

He’s done quite well so far; that’s why we wanted to keep him for a few more days.  We got a game on Sunday against SMU, and we’d like to keep him here through that game and see him in a more competitive game.  I don’t think he really got tested in the game the other day.  So we want to see how he does with the main group in a more competitive game.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  He’s good; we’re thinking of keeping him.  Wish he had a green card, though.

Does the defense need to tighten or have they just been unlucky?

Players are never happy when they concede three goals in a game. They were disappointed in themselves. Obviously, that can get better, for sure.  Four goals over two games is not good enough and they know that. We’ll all continue to work at it and hopefully it improves.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  We sucked.

Encouraged by Toja start?

Yeah, he’s had a good start, but I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him by any means.  He’s still not 100% match fit, you know; he ran very hard down in Houston.  He got through just beyond 70 minutes, I think it was, and began to tire in the later part of the game.  We want to try and get him to 90 minutes and I think when you see him fully match fit you’ll see even more from him.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  The kid’s gonna be a star.

Wagner vs Shea

Blake’s got that spot, at the moment.  I thought over 90 minutes versus Houston that was his best performance so far.  He was consistent throughout the game and didn’t do to much wrong at all.  Like I’ve said about Blake before, I think he’s got all the ability that he needs to have, I think he just needs to mature as a player.  If he can get four, five, or six good, consistent games like he did against Houston, I think we’ll start to see the best of Blake.  He knows he has Brek pushing him hard.  Brek’s had a great start to his FC Dallas career and he’s pushing Blake hard for that position.  I feel very confident to throw Brek on the field at any time and know he’ll do a good job for the team.  He’ll need to bide his time, as well, and try to earn a spot, but he’s got a bright future.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  Wagner now, Shea later.

Foreign players often are surprised by the intensity of MLS. How are Davino and Rocha coping?

I would certainly agree with that statement. I think when guys come in here they always get surprised by the quality of the play and intensity of the league.   I think Duilio will get better as the season goes on. He’s another one that hasn’t reached 100% match fitness yet.  He’s only going to get that playing 90 minutes after 90 minutes.  His experience will come to the fore and I think he’s a calming influence on the back line.  In the long run, I think he’s going to be great for us.

Andre’s had a little inconsistent start. I think, like when Toja first came in, it took a little while to adjust to the game; it’s a different style of play here. I think Andre’s going through a little bit of that, at the moment.  There’s better to come from him, for sure.  He’s done a lot of good stuff, but also given up possession a few times. So we’re working with him and we’re confident he has great ability that will come through in the end.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  MLS is balls tough- stop expecting a picnic.

Is the team not fit enough?

I think it’s just a couple players.  I think the overall fitness of the team is excellent.  I have no doubts about that at all.  Like I’ve said before; not just this league, but any league; 3, 4, or 5 games into the season before everyone really hits the ground running and reaches 100% match fitness after getting competitive games.  As a team, we tired toward the end of the last couple of games, but I expect that to come through very quickly.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  No.

Training

After the jogging and stretching, the team was divided in two.  Morrow took the defenders and did some one-on-one defending technical work, then put the D through a drill that worked a set of three moving side-to-side as a group, covering space and preventing through-balls. 

Here’s Morrow’s group: Serioux, Davino, Moor, Dello-Russo, Emmanuel, Pitchkolan, and Daniels.

Ferruzzi ran the rest of the team through possession work, the 3 man chase drill, and a larger possession game. 

Green: Toja, Wallace, Saragosa, Thompson, Avila, Shea, Wagner.
Blue: Ricchetti, Ricardinho, Cooper, Wileman, Oduro, Alvarez, Rocha.

Last 30 minutes was a half-field walk-through featuring a back 7+1 versus a front 7+1.

Lineup Prediction

Dang, there a lot of people missing.  Lambo, Rhine, Wagenfuhr, and Yi are out.  Cooper and McCarty have to be questionable.  Saragosa and Ricchetti probable.  So maybe Thompson in for Cooper…Rocha wide right…something, perhaps, like this?

Thought of the Day

It’s odd in a way, but Blake Wagner is going to reap the rewards of a teammate’s injury. 

Wagner needs a 5-, 6-, or even 10-game run in the first team.   It’s important to essentially throw him to the wolves and see if he sinks or swims.  Brek Shea has loads of upside and will be ready sooner rather than later.  If Wagenfuhr had stayed healthy, he might have kept the spot all season.  There was going to be little chance for Morrow and company to find out if Wagner could hack it.

It’s arguable that Wagner should have gotten the run anyway, with Wagenfuhr in the wings ready to take over the back half of the season if Wagner failed.  So, as horrible as it for Wagenfuhr to have been injured again, the cynic in me is glad to see Wagner getting a long run in the team. 

Maybe it will even help the club in the long run.

Categories: Practice Observations.

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