September 24th, 2008 . 3:16 pm . By: Buzz Carrick

“Don’t do this! He’s just a goddamn dancer!” - Raymond Greenwood

This is the time of year I love, the fall.  The weather is turning and the battle for the Supporters Shield (most important title in my view) and MLS Cup playoff spots (most important to most other people) goes into the final stretch.  It’s when the usually tame MLS regular season games become more important. 

Training fells real positive after the big win, nice vibe today.  We’ll see how long it carries.

News, Notes, & Observations

- Duilio Davino and Victor Sikora are both full speed in training, although certainly that is different speed for each guy.  Schellas says he wants both players to get some minutes off the bench before they are up for a starting spot.  Both will be on the bench this weekend it sure sounds like.  Frankly to my eye Davino looks a touch hesitant or unsure in his movement.  Protecting the tow I imagine.

- Schellas says they staff worked out two weeks ago who they would be protecting and who the will not in the expansion draft.  The list is done.  Schellas wanted to get it out of the way so he wouldn’t have it fall in his lap during crunch time.  I’ll do my version at some point down the line.

- Bryant Rueckner is the only guest player around these days.  He’s a 4th keeper in training.

- Emerson Hyndman still participating.  Although not in the final big drill.

- No specific word on Brek Shea other than rehab and recovery somewhere.

There isn’t a ton going on frankly at this point in the year.

Catching up with Schellas Hyndman

Don’t let it slip your mind that the coach speak translations are a bit.

I thought it might be interesting to list the reporters who asked the questions I put in here, just for a taste of how things go.  FYI I almost never put in every question, today this is about 1/3 to 1/4 of the questions asked.

Thoughts on Ricchetti of late? (Tobias Lopez, Star-Telegram)

I really cant say enough about what he’s meant to this team since I’ve been here.  He’s been a true professional to begin with, I know I told you the stories about moving him to defense from midfield, and he’s enhanced that position and did very well.  Now that we have our defense back in the block it was logical to move him back into his position he’s more comfortable with.  We evaluate our players after every game and I thought he was one of our best players on the field cause he’s just always there.

What I would like form him a little bit more is, from some of our older players, is some leadership.  That’s a little bit difficult with the culture and you find that sometimes players are very happy to do what they’re doing.  So we’d like to get a little bit more of that from some of our older players and if we can continue to find success we’ll see more of that.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  He’s the man, we probably don’t pay him enough.  Although I wish he would speak up more.

Does Rocha finally “get” what it is you want form him? (Steve Hunt, MLSnet.com)

Yes, but I also had to compromise and take that 4-4-2 into a central 4-4-2.  Bring that diamond in a little bit more to bring the best out of him.  Once we did that we started to see the best out of him and he started being a better player instead of getting stuck out wide and trying to do the things that maybe he wasn’t going to be able to do.  I’ve never really had a problem with Andre on the field.  He’s tried to do the things I’ve asked of him.  I think sometimes off the field issues and things that carry on effect his mentality and his play.  But recently he’s been very good for us.  He’s assisting on goals, he’s part of out striker force, he’s crossing balls, and he’s working on both sides of the ball.  So he’s been a good addition to the team.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  I coached him up.

You feel like the goal helped stop some of the criticism that you’re playing [Bruno Guarda] because he’s a favorite, because of your relationship with him?  Can you comment on that?  (Diego Aparicio, Al Dia & Dallas Morning News)

Sure I can comment on that.  That’s coming form you and the fans, that’s not coming from me.  Cause I would not put him out there if he were just my favorite. In fact I would play my grandson ahead of him.  What I’m trying to do is make this team a better team and hold people accountable and hold people responsible for their roles.  And Bruno stepped up and was able to do that.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  He plays cause he does what I ask, that’s what makes him a favorite.

This team has been on a bit of a rollercoaster this year, high highs and low lows.  What makes a team be streaky and inconsistent like that?  (Buzz Carrick, 3rd Degree)

I think one thing that you would hope for would be some type of organization, something that they can carry back to, some kind of structure where… you know defensively we’re doing the right things, and offensively where getting opportunities.  What you hope for is that if you don’t get the results, that it’s not our defense giving up soft goal, its not our offensive missing two or three open nets.  What we as coaches hope for is we have a structure and organization that we can always fall back to. 

If you look at two teams in particular, New England and Houston, why have they been so successful for years?  Yes they got a couple key players, Taylor Twellman, Shalrie Joseph, whatever… you can always say Houston has a Ching, a DeRosario, they have some key people.  Well we have some key people.  Why do they step above the other?  I think they always find the right kind of player, and it always comes back to their structure.  They find players that fit their structure for the players.  I think we need to get to the same point so we don’t have those highs and lows.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  You’ve been right all along, a team needs a system and you get players that fit the system.

Where is Dax McCarty in the current setup? (Tobias Lopez)

Dax has done well, right now he’s competing with players for playing time. Where we hope to get more out of Dax is to get just a little more offense and to be the first guy defending the ball.  If we had other players willing and capable of doing that… that’s what Dax needs to do.  Right now He’s an important player for this team.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator:  On the bench.

Training

Some passing and movement drills today after the jogging and stretching.  Next up was some 40×40 possession stuff, three teams of 8.  two teams play one team is a neutral on the outside of the field.

Red: Rowland, Rocha, Guarda, Moor, Wadsworth, Davino, Hyndman, Ricchetti.
Gray: Watson, Dello-Russo, Rhine, Cooper, Serioux, Wagner, Wallace, Pitchkolan.
Green: Wileman, Daniels, Saragosa, Cunningham, Avila, Sikora, McCarty, Oduro.

Next up was a 40×40 box with two full goals.  3 defenders in front of each goal with 2 forwards on attack each end.  Three midfielders would go from end to end joining the two attackers to make a 5v3. Drill looks to be about transition game and reaction.

Last drill was two mini- games with full goals.  About 30×30 fields each.  Each team played each other team.  Your overall winning team is in bold below.

Green: Cooper, McCarty, Ricchetti, Daniels, Moor, Ferruzzi
Gray (winners): Watson, Oduro, Guarda, Wadsworth, Pitchkolan, Davino
Red: Wagner, Saragosa, Cunningham, Avila, Rhine, Dello-Russo
Blue: Serioux, Rowland, Wallace, Rocha, Sikora, Wileman

Schellas hammered them with some fitness running to end training.  I fully applaud how much Schellas is putting into fitness as that was one large criticism I had of Morrow club.  I expect next spring to be a killer.

Lineup Prediction

It’s a no brainer, Davino and Sikora not being ready.  Particularly since after a 4-1 win everyone will keep their spots.

Frankly I don’t have a lot to complain about in the above, although I might start Avila on the left.

Thought of the Day

This weekend Davino will get some minutes and then next week he will start.  Quite frankly I’m not sure he should.

I know that $400,000 players play, but the team is playing well on defense without him.  Pitchkolan, the most likely to sit in Dainvo’s return, doesn’t deserve to lose his job just cause the other guy gets paid a lot.  I assume it won’t be Moor dropped since he just signed a new deal and is captain when Davino is out.

Pitch has worked his but off, kept his mouth shut, and continues to play solid soccer.  Do you build a team around him?  No, but he’s up to starting in this league and the one place FCD needs help now is set pieces.  Davino doesn’t help on set pieces.

But mostly Pitch just deserves to keep his spot.  In a way Pitchkolan is the champion of all of us; the less talented, hard working, less hyped, the dedicated to the game, those who dreamed we would make it on hard work alone.  If there is justice in soccer the gods of the game will reward him, and thus us, by keeping him in the lineup. 

Unfortunately the gods of commerce will win and Davino will start.  Much to my disappointment.

Categories: Practice Observations.

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