February 17th, 2009 . 4:28 pm . By: Buzz Carrick

FC Dallas is down in Florida and unfortunately 3rd Degree is not.  That means we’re going to have to relay on the FCD PR machine to get information to answer some questions.  With Roster Compliance Day coming while FCD is in Brazil, the Red Stripes will make their cut downs after the team returns from Florida.  That some of the roster answers for the season are coming this week.

We’ve talked about it a couple of times. We as a staff have not sat down and made that decision, but I think reality is that decision is going to have to be made. You don’t want to be taking players with you to Brazil, putting your roster to 24 and then you have players there that didn’t make it.  I think we probably will be finalizing our roster before we go to Brazil. – FCD Head Coach Schellas Hyndman

Looming Questions

1. 5th Striker

It’s possible that FCD will keep five strikers, although I wouldn’t be the farm on it. If they do it may be just till they find a #10 playmaker.  Let’s be honest, Cooper and Cunningham are the clear starters and are going to play most of the minutes.  Peri Marosevic is a Generation adidas player and is going no where, even if he doesn’t play a lot at first.  That means spots four (in) and five (out?) are between Sean Bucknor and Jamie Watson.

Unfortunately for Watson, despite the fact he has outplayed both Marosevic and Bucknor this spring, he’s probably the fifth guy so he’ll hold down that last spot right up until they need it for a attacking mid.  You can tell Bucknor is fourth because FCD signed him and Watson is still listed as an un-signed trialist.  That means FCD is high on Bucknor and his perceived big upside.  The club was afraid to lose him to someone else and felt they needed to go ahead and get him on the roster and not fall into another Dou-Dou Toure mess.  Given how little PT there is going to be behind Cooper and Cunningham it’s not surprising FCD would go with the project upside player in Bucknor and not the more reliable but less payoff Watson. 

He’s a player that didn’t play last year.  He was ineligible at Tampa.  He hasn’t played in over a year.  But you look at the size.  6-3, close to 200 pounds.  Athletic, fast.  And he had once good chance and he finished.  You gotta like that.  I think we’re going to see a work in progress with him.  It think that after six weeks of spring training he’ll be a different player. – Hyndman

The lack of ready to play strikers behind them also means Cooper and Cunningham have no real competition for their places and if one of them is lost or injured then FCD will be in a world of hurt.  But that’s a different discussion. 

2. George John

Here’s what we know about George John at this point.  Hyndman likes John since SMU played the Huskies last year, he was drafted in the first round, first rounders are almost never cut in the spring, and he’s hurt.  Point being Hyndman is going to give him the benefit of the doubt.  That means John is taking a roster spot.  The question becomes, is he going to get healthy enough to play in Florida and will be be ready by opening day? 

If he’s not going to be ready to start the year FCD might have to adjust their roster a tiny bit to make sure they have cover. 

3. Right back

With both Adrian Serioux and Michael Dello-Russo being injured right back has seen a parade of different people playing that spot.  Now the big test is the serious look at Marcelo Saragosa out wide. 

No Marcelo’s not a modern flying outside back, but he has one vital thing in his favor: the coach trusts him.  Marcelo can pass ok and won’t do anything outright stupid.  In other words he’s reliable.  His defending is raw and uncertain at this point cause he’s played outside back a total of three times in his life. 

It’s a process in motion. He’s learning. The mistake in the back led to the goal where the ball went off his foot and went into the center. I thought the overlapping, the attacking play and the distribution was good plus he’s so hard to beat in the air. It’s a process of learning and we’re going to spend more time with him, but he could very well play for us in that position. – Hyndman

If over the next week Saraogsa can hold down the spot and show progress, it’s his for the taking.  And that will change some things across the back line.

4. Left back

Looks like it’s a three way batter between Blake Wagner, Anthony Wallace, and newcomer Daniel Torres.  Torres has the experience and like the others he’s a lefty.  Originally he was signed as a left footed center back, but Purdy has played well enough this spring Hyndman is already looking at Torres as a left back instead.

Wagner has continued his up and down consistency and has been outplayed at times by Wallace.  Unfortunately Wallace has been gone so much he hasn’t been able to win the job either.

If Torres shows he capable outside it will make either Wagner or Wallace expendable (read tradable), but which one remains a question.  Youth and talent are worth holding onto and FCD won’t be desperate to move a youthful lefty.  Particularly one who’s protected like Wallace.

Danny has only been with us for less than a week.  We saw him last summer and liked him. We brought him in as a center back but at the same time, I wanted him to get some left back position play. I thought his distribution was very good and his decision making was very good. The thing I don’t know yet is his defending because against Memphis, there weren’t a lot of concerns. So we’ll have a chance to evaluate him here in the next three weeks. – Hyndman

One X-factor in the back might be Adrian Serioux, if Saragosa holds down that right back job Serioux might get the left back job almost by default cause despite being a rightly he would bring more to the table than any of the lefties above.

5. Pitchkolan and Dello-Russo

Hyndman has talked a few times about players who got playing time last year that might find themselves out of the team because of the reduced MLS roster.  He’s primarily talking about Aaron Pitchkolan and Michael Dello-Russo it appears (and Jamie Watson probably).  Pitch played a bunch done the stretch with the injury to Duilio Davino but lost his place as soon as the veteran was healthy.  Dello-Russo toko a step foward after Hyndman took over, getting time at outside back and outside midfield.

Now it looks like both might be the odd men out at their positions.  At center back FCD addes Purdy, Torres, and John moving Pitch down to 5th on the chart.  Hyndman also likes Break Shea in that spot, even though for now they have given up on that transition, and we all know Serioux can play there, as can Ricchetti.  It’s not any better for Pitch at holding midfield where Ricchetti starts and Saragosa and Serioux can both play.  Not to mention Shea has also been there as has Dax McCarty.

Dello-Russo got hurt and has made room for the interesting Saragosa test.  We’ve even seen Jamie Watson as a right back in a pinch and Drew Moor may even be better there than he is in the middle.  Dello has also fallen behind Eric Avila and probably Dax McCarty at right mid.  Plus Hyndman’s tendency to put Saragosa out there is a real crunch time.  You also have to figure in Watson can play there as can Peri Marosevic, Bruno Guarda, and trialist Juan Guerra who continues to hang around.

6. Cut 1 of 3

Taking a quick look at the Roster Dance, FCD due to it’s six generation adidas players can only carry 18 on the senior roster.  Right now if we put George John on there and leave off at hypothetical #10, FCD can keeper two of these three: Watson, Pitchkolan, or Dello-Russo.

If (when?) a #10 is added then another player has to make way.

We’ve started the process. I think it would be really foolish for any coaching staff not to review this over and over again. We have already put ideas of these are the players because of the positions and where they are with the team would be the players we want to keep. Then, the 3-5 players that are on the verge of not making it, we’ve been discussing a lot and out of that, we might have to let one or two go because we probably have about 25 or 26 players that are on the roster. So if we have to let two go, it’s going to be tough but every team has to go through it. I will have empathy for the feeling of the player but I’m making the decision for the best of the team. – Hyndman

My guess is that FCD will hold onto Watson as a 5th striker and attempt to trade either Pitchkolan or Dello-Russo.  If no offer is made then one will be cut, probably Pitch given Hyndman’s two players per spot plan and all the center backs around .  If Guerra makes it, or Brian Shriver shows up, that would knock Dello out.  When a #10 is signed, the 5th striker Watson, will probably make way.

So which one of the three would you cut?  Or would you do something else entirely?

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