3rd Degree

August 6th, 2008 . By: Buzz Carrick

You can always come back, but you can’t come back all the way. - Bob Dylan

If one were not really paying attention to the rest of the league, it might come as a shock and surprise that FC Dallas is now 2-0-3 over the last five and is up to 3rd in the West, just two points out of first. Schellas now has his first home win and first road win in just over a week.

As always I loved the crowd in Toronto. That must be a ton of fun to play in front of.

El Bueno (The Good)

Man do I love the 4-4-2. (Full disclosure, I advocated a 3-5-2 this year cause of Texas heat) I have always been a pro-4-4-2 guy. When played right I think it’s the best and most balanced formation. MLS just doesn’t have the wide wingbacks or outside backs to really play a great 3-5-2 or 4-3-3. Some day maybe.

They kind of bought into the system that we’re playing and they’re working hard for each other. Our defense, by going with four in the back, we’ve been able to get the last two games [as] shutouts. - Schellas Hyndman

What can you say about Kenny Cooper that hasn’t been said. Back to back Player of the Week nods. It’s not just the goals, his whole game is up. Movement, positioning, awareness… all of it. He’s raising his price tag every week. I hope FCD can keep him.

Well, I think it’s the players. They kind of bought into the system that we’re playing and they’re working hard for each other. We’re trying to get results, you know we’ve got a great striker in Kenny Cooper that’s putting balls away for us and then our defense, with by going with four in the back we’ve be able to get the last two game shutouts. - Schellas Hyndman

Avila is really playing well and seizing the moment. Part of the reason I think he’s so comfortable is that Ricchetti has been playing out of his mind behind him. Ricchetti is showing his class and that make Avila free and comfortable to try and create. Is Avila out playing Toja? Given Toja’s lack of desire, it’s arguable. Sharp passing, beating guys on the dribble, winning balls, with an improving sense of team tactics. Upside looking good here. Here’s what Hyndman had to say about the departed Toja relative to Avila.

You know Juan was a very, very good player. I think all of us would agree that he was a much better player last year in the beginning of the season. He was injured for preseason and wasn’t able to give his best. But I thought we’ve done well with out him.

You can’t fault the fact that, “oh we lost Toja, we can’t play.” I don’t think we got the best out of him. Let’s just say we got 80%. 80% from Eric is bad. If Eric is giving us 100% that may only be Toja’s 80%. But the team has responded very well. - Schellas Hyndman

Ricchetti’s top tier play makes me wonder if either he’s happy and content because of 1. the coaching change, 2. the formation, or 3. did someone promise to tack care of his deal? I doubt it’s the latter since he almost certainly won’t believe that twice.

I really liked Moor central and Serioux right, and not just cause I suggested it. (He says as if Schellas gives two cents for what he thinks.) Moor was commanding in the middle, with Pitch’s help, and I think Serioux’s athleticism benefits him wide. Its the same reason I like Adrian as a d-mid. Adrian seemed to be enjoying himself and decided to leave a little parting shot on his way out of town.

It’s always good to come back and play in front of family and friends and get a result that we needed badly. You know it’s a great atmosphere and I’m sure the fans were behind their team, but when certain players on your team aren’t disciplined as they were tonight, it’s costly and that’s what happened to them tonight. We came away with the result and we’re happy about it. - Adrian Serioux

Wagner/Dello-Russo combo I would have thought to be trouble, but they did well. Perhaps having a midfielder in front of him makes Wagner that much more comfortable. Dello had a great Reserve game to at right back as well [trade mark John Harjes]. Coach says he needs to get forward in both instances with a bit more aggression and I think his could learn to cross just a bit better. But his smarts and solid play at multiple positions mean he could have a long journeyman career if he wishes.

Michael did well, but I’d like to see him be a little more aggressive getting forward. He was here at the end cause we were down. I’d like to see that a little more often. - Schellas Hyndman

Jamie Watson was terrific against RSL with two goals. He was a bit lost through about 30 minutes until he scored and then raised his game after that. Obviously his nice performance might have been motivated by a team that dropped him. Still a good start for the kid. He combined well, took some guys on. He still needs to learn a bit of the role in Schellas’ 4-4-2.

It was nice to see Jamie pick up two goals. He’s only been wit us a short week and this game means something to him cause he was dropped by Real. So I think he had some internal motivation. I thought he did very well today, but I thought he faded also at the later part. - Schellas Hyndman

El Camino Central (Middle of the Road)

Bruno, you can see the potential to read the game and his timing on the burst forward. But you can see he’s not game fit as he dropped off at about the 70 minute mark. He played the deep holding midfield role in the reserve game (although did move forward to the a-mid in the last 20 or so). He hasn’t played the deep role a bunch since early in his college career, but he’s certainly good enough defender to play there and he brings some great passing vision. He drew some ohs and ahs form the crowd with a couple passes against RSL.

As far as Bruno, he’s got ways to go coming out of the competitive college season was the last time he played so we’re seeing that. Maybe December 1st was the last time he’s played a really hard game. So I think he’s doing well coming back. - Schellas Hyndman

In the reserve game Anthony Wallace was at left back and Blake Wagner central. I found that surprising as it’s kinda flipped in my thinking. Blake has never really shown much to me central, although he was good on defense there today. His passing choices aren’t good enough tough, but that’s true of him everywhere on the field. Wallace we know can play outside form his play with the U20s last year, but I thought he was better central in the past than Wagner had been. Feruzzi picks the lineups for the reserve games, but Schellas had some comments on it that totally contradicted what I was thinking about the two players.

I don’t think Wally can play the center position in a 4-4-2. So it was just for Blake having played center back for us in the past in a 4-4-2. And Wally has played left back, so I though tit was a good starting option and Marco thought it was a good thing to do. And we were able to get Bruno more in the attacking midfield and Wally in the defensive midfield later. - Schellas Hyndman

No Tan Bueno (Not So Good)

Andrew Daniels did not have a great reserve game. He made a error of one degree or another on all three RSL goals. I still have hope he can make the step up, but time may be running out for him pas this season with a new coach in town. I want to see him wide right a few times this year.

Brek Shea looks out of sorts up top. I don’t mean he’s playing badly, he’s just a little lost. Shea keeps wanting to drop deep to find the ball. I just like him better at left mid where he can run at people, although really he needs a 4-3-3 ideally to do that. There is a theory that says playing as a withdrawn striker off Thompson will let him do the same thing, but he’s not finding enough of the ball or enough space yet. Perhaps with time.

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