Sinking Ship
September 5th, 2008 . By: John CarltonFacing a must-win home game Thursday evening against the Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas turned in an uninspired performance. A goal by Colorado’s Mike Petke was all the Rapids needed to get all three points on the road and leapfrog Dallas in the standings. The loss puts any playoff aspirations in serious jeopardy as the Hoops head down the home stretch. Missing from the starting eleven were two key cogs in the shaky Dallas backline, Adrian Serioux who was away on international duty, and Duilio Davino, still not back from injury. Coach Schellas Hyndman shuffled the deck and inserted midfield destroyer Pablo Richetti at center back and plugged in youngster Anthony Wallace at left midfield. Hyndman favorites Bruno Guarda and Marcelo Saragosa manned the top and bottom portions of the diamond midfield, respectively. Conspicuously absent from the lineup was midfielder Andre Rocha, who did not even dress for the match. During the first half, the sparse crowd was treated to an uneven display of long, often aimless balls out of the midfield, inconsistent runs, and frustratingly few passes strung together. The Rapids did no better, but at least managed to force a couple of brilliant saves from goalkeeper Dario Sala. The best chance for Dallas came in the 35th minute when Jeff Cunningham got around Rapids’ goalkeeper Preston Burpo, but his shot from a narrow angle hit the crossbar. With playmaking midfielder Christian Gomez on the bench, Colorado fielded a team of neophytes and whodats. And the game-winning goal came in a fashion familiar to Hoops’ fans, from a corner kick and off the head of a completely unmarked man in the box. Petke barely had to leave his feet to head the ball to the open space in the right corner of the net. Substitutions in the form of Eric Avila, Dominic Oduro and Dax McCarty sparked the Hoops a bit, but the lackluster play from erstwhile starters Bruno Guarda, Michael Dello-Russo, and Anthony Wallace did much to sully any chances of a comprehensive comeback. Guarda, in particular, showed he is not ready for primetime, needlessly giving away ball after ball. Hyndman now has to demonstrate he is not blindly playing favorites for the rest of the season. If his mission is get Guarda valuable experience, it is being done at the expense of the entire team. Rather than address his personnel decisions, Hyndman chose to reflect on the poor marking that has led to so many goals off set pieces. “I think this team has given up soft goals all year, and I think we’re still continuing to give up soft goals.” While this is certainly the case, the attack has not been sharp since Guarda assumed the attacking midfield role and Cunningham came in as strike partner to Kenny Cooper. Now FC Dallas is looking at a monumental task to make the playoffs. They will need to win all remaining home games and at least split on the road to have a shot. With so many changes in personnel and internal wrangling with certain players (Rocha et al), Hyndman needs to demonstrate he has the confidence of his players and a plan to set the ship aright. Colorado Rapids (8-12-3) vs. FC Dallas (6-9-8)September 04, 2008 — Pizza Hut Park Scoring Summary: Colorado Rapids — Preston Burpo, Kosuke Kimura, Cory Gibbs, Mike Petke, Jordan Harvey, Terry Cooke, Nick LaBrocca, Pablo Mastroeni (John DiRaimondo 52), Colin Clark, Conor Casey (Omar Cummings 82), Tom McManus (Facundo Erpen 67). Substitutes Not Used: Jose Burciaga Jr., Christian Gomez, Jacob Peterson, Chris Sharpe FC Dallas – Dario Sala, Drew Moor, Aaron Pitchkolan, Pablo Ricchetti, Blake Wagner, Michael Dello-Russo (Dax McCarty 65), Bruno Guarda, Marcelo Saragosa (Dominic Oduro 74), Anthony Wallace (Eric Avila 52), Kenny Cooper, Jeff Cunningham, Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Brek Shea, Abe Thompson, Jamie Watson
Misconduct Summary: referee: Tim Weyland 13 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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“Hyndman now has to demonstrate he is not blindly playing favorites for the rest of the season.”
I wouldn’t hold my breath. You are absolutely right about the spark from the bench, but the three of them certainly couldn’t do it alone. I think Dax, Avi, and Dom should all have started the game, but clearly I (and the rest of the fans) don’t know what I’m talking about and Schellas knows best. Only NOT.
Due to other engagements, this has been my first opportunity to watch an FCD game in its entirety in quite some time. Definitely the first of the Schellas regime. I have no doubts in his ability to coach and teach, but his decision to play guarda over Rocha is astounding. Guarda had no pace on the ball, couldn’t get involved for any meaningful stretches, has no “umph” behind the shots he took and just flat looked lost. I understand the issue Schellas has with Rocha not hustling back on defense, but if you have him in Guarda’s spot for a full 90, you are at least applying some time of consistent pressure on the other side.
Wallace and Wagner looked like they at least had ideas of what they wanted to do on the left side, with experience, those ideas will be exciting when they connect. I barely noticed Dello at all.
I feel the backline did a marvelous job, even though it was against a side that obviously has been depleted with the loss of Herculez and the benching of Gomez.
Wow, was The Oven lonely out there last night, or what!? Haven’t worked up the energy to watch the recording at home yet, but that ‘crowd’ must have looked very sad on national television.
A most miserable performance (not to mention strange lineup decisions), in what our esteemed new coach himself called ‘a must win game’.
Nice timing on their season ticket renewal letters. My seats (section 104) are going up 23% (if my math is correct)…have they lost their minds entirely?! Not one person sitting around me (not that there were many, mind you) said they were coming back for sure next season…and a couple said not a chance. If you renew by Oct 1, you get two free playoff tickets…presumably to go to Columbus and watch their good team play?!
Very frustrating season, to say the least. I haven’t missed a game, and won’t, but it’s getting lonelier and lonelier out there.
What a season. In general, I understand that I’m not a coach, and I must give the professionals the benefit of the doubt. That’s worked up until this point, because the teams I cheer for are either competently managed (Broncos) or completely hopeless (everybody else.) But I just can’t get on board with Schellus’s decisions. My favorites are riding pine, the style of play is brutal, and the quality has taken a nose-dive. I’m sure I’ll get over it in a few days, but I can’t fathom renewing season tickets at this point.
I will not be back next year. My seats in section 108, row 16 will be available to anyone at 23% more than I paid this year. Enjoy…
There were something like 850 people in the stands at kickoff last night. (I stood up and counted, section by section.)
Steve Morrows is looking in the glass bottle laughing his butt off. But then really feeling sorry for the guys. At least Marco was on the right stretch winning. These guys are greatest its not there fault that the so called coach is bring smu in.Its not even funny its a disgraced to the team. We have a great team. the guys love there fans and the true fans will always believe in them. But there is a few guys that are just to wet behind the ears need to play on reserves for along time.
Finally, the season’s over!
Morrow might not have had the team playing “attractive” soccer (although I happen to have enjoyed it), but Hyndman’s got the the team not playing at all.
I really really want to renew my tickets for 2009 because I like the fact that Dallas has a soccer team, but I can’t help but think that if I renew my tickets it will let management think that I support their personnel decisions.
I’m sad.
1. Not too suprising that Petke was unmarked given the lack of experience on the field. Looked like Coopers man though?
2. Dello Russo shoulda stayed on the post - he easily heads that ball away…
3. Anybody else think Saragosa had a pretty good game?
“3. Anybody else think Saragosa had a pretty good game?”
Yes, actually I did, so I was surprised to see him taken out — must have been because he was playing well
. .. (yes, I know the real reason — to bring in more offense)
i watched the game on tv last night and the best par tof the game was when Dax came on the the ESPN2 stat line read “Dax McCarty 6′0″ 170″
my girl, who’s watched about 30 minutes of soccer in her whole life, asked if the corner flags were at least 6-feet tall cuz Dax was barely taller than the corner flag…..? i chuckled.
mikemike, wasnt that Avila on the post for the Petke goal….i mean off the post.
twotone: It was Dello on the post. He drifted inside off the post as the ball came across. If he held his spot, Petke’s header hits him in the face. I laughed too at Dax’s listing of 6′0″.
FriscoFan: I’m in sec 108, row 27. I have not gotten my season ticket renewal letter yet - 23% really?!?
I think an orange cone might have had more production than Guarda. It only took him 4 seconds to make his first giveaway. Opening kickoff passed back to him, he traps, touches, passes without looking to his right straight to the Colorado player. I knew it was going to be a bad night right then.
With all that said, if FCD could finish (Moor’s open header, Dom inside the 6 twice, etc), they win that game. Not that either team deserved a win…
KK: regarding the misses by Dom and Drew: It’s almost an unwritten law that bad teams don’t get the breaks. I agree with you totally on the Guarda first 4 seconds give away, that set the tone right there and I had the same feeling as you. Had that been Rocha SH would have pulled him right then.