April 21st, 2009 . 5:00 pm .
By: Buzz Carrick
So what exactly does Hyndman have in mind?
Well not real sure frankly, cause Hyndman wasn’t at training today. Ellinger was there however and he had a few comments for media. FCD leaves this afternoon for DC and heads straight to LA after that.
Talk a bit about the Open Cup Game Saturday.
With the Open Cup, you definitely want to advance. It’s the Lamar Hunt Open Cup, so for us and our ownership group, it’s an important event to advance. I know they’re all going to be there. With us being that we’ve got to play a league game on Saturday and travel to LA, it’s going to be one of those things where we mix up the lineup a little bit and give some guys some game. We’re limited a little bit since the rules are a little different with five foreigners on the roster and then four subs. So you have an opportunity to get another guy in the game, so that’s what you look for.
What kind of mix of starter and reserves might we see?
I think it’s going to be in that 40/60 or 60/40 range, kind of a mix. One in particular is how is Marcelo (Saragosa) going to feel tomorrow? You know Marcelo, he’ll want to play every minute of every game but do we rush him coming back? We don’t want to take any unnecessary risks, so we’ll probably hold him out and keep him on the bench or something.
Does FCD have an organizational philosophy about the Open Cup?
With us, it’s got a little more of a special meaning to it. So we’d obviously like to advance in the Open Cup, but realistically, we know that we need another three points. I think we have played two good games on the row and would like to have a third. We don’t want to shoot ourselves in the foot by putting all of our starters out there against DC. It’s hard to speak for what they’re going to do simply because they had a game Friday and play again on Sunday. They have a little bit of a break, can play a lot of their starters and get some more from them.
Lineup Prediction
Here’s the travel squad. Dario Sala, Ray Burse, Blake Wagner, Drew Moor, George John, Marcelo Saragosa, Aaron Pitchkolan, Michael Dello-Russo, Pablo Ricchetti, Bruno Guarda, Andre Rocha, Eric Avila, Dax McCarty, Dave van den Bergh, Alvaro Sanchez, David Ferreira, Kenny Cooper, Jeff Cunningham, Peri Marosevic, Daniel Torres.
Well this is a bit of a shot in the dark, but here goes. Saragosa out, he’s just coming off injury so Dello in for him. Torres will spell Wagner, see how that goes. John plays and so does Moor, although I wouldn’t be shocked to see Pitch in for one of the other. I’m guessing Guarda for Ricchetti, Avila for vd Bergh, Cunningham for Cooper and Sanchez for Rocha or Ferreira, I’ll guess Rocha. Leaving Dax McCarty at a-mid and David Ferreira at 2nd forward. I’m betting Burse with Daio on the bench. That would make 6 changes from the TFC game on Sunday.
| Cunningham |
| Ferreira |
| Avila |
McCarty |
Sanchez |
| Guarda |
| Torres |
John |
Moor |
Dello-Russo |
| Burse |
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would like to see shea,lambo, peri, play some in these games
As a fan, I have this unusually strange detachment from the Open Cup that is unlike previous years. I would prefer they rest as many starters as possible…I really am not too upset if we lose tomorrow. We need to focus on league games instead.
This is a real 180 turn for me, because I was very critical of the complete lack of intensity I witnessed from FC Dallas in last year’s Open Cup performance (remember the Charleston Battery disaster? Before that, stoppage time scares against Miami FC?). But this year, we have injuries to be concerned about and a lot of new players still trying to figure one another out, and risking more injuries to win non-league games does not seem logical to me at this point.
Plus, it gives Pitch, Avila, Peri, etc. a chance to get some valuable minutes. It will be interesting to hear how we do (since it is impossible for us to watch!)
Buzz,
You know better than to break the coaches confidence in you. AFTER ALL ,YOU GO TO PRACTICE ONE DAY A WEEK.
Where was Hyndman?
Put me in the camp of I really don’t care about the Open Cup. I really think they should use it to get all the youth national team some real game time. Use it as a measuring stick of where they are compared to MLS competition for once. Wally, Shea, Lambo, Peri all should be in. I think it would be a wonderful opportunity for the below lineup, tell them before the game You want PT? Time to show you deserve it.
Peri Cunny
Avila
Shea Guarda Sanchez
Wally Torres Pitch Dello
Lambo
I actually would favor going for the Open Cup at this point, and not just because of Uncle Lamar. IMHO, we have no shot at the League Cup, and probably not even the playoffs. Single elimination, especially where many other clubs don’t emphasize it, we may have a reasonable chance, at least to advance a ways. We have the talent I think, just not the coaching for this level.
this really depends on who DCU puts out there too. Their defense hasnt been great and the keeper is a problem. no depth at forward and the rookies have been contributing to the first team (Wallace & Pontius), so who knows how important they are to Soehn. We’ll see.
Other Alex, what are you talking about “break the coach’s confidence?” Sometimes I go twice a week. And occasionally, like this week, I don’t go at all. But yes, mostly I go once a week.
ST, No idea.
Cai and other haters,
The playoffs are nowhere near a lost cause right now. FCD is 2 pts behind the 8th seed right now.
Chill out.
Please keep in mind that Houston went winless in 5 last year and won the west.
Robert, Dave, and other haters,
I want the team to qualify for the CCL and this tournament is a prime opportunity to do just that. After all you, in MLS you can get hot the last month and half, barely get into the playoffs and then win-it-all.
But considering this is FCD, they’ll fall apart in the end and not make it to the playoffs.