August 11th, 2009 . 2:23 pm . By: Buzz Carrick

One for the money, two for the show. - Elvis Aaron Presley

1-0 over Houston to win two games in a row is big.  Perhaps big is an under-sell, that’s a massive, massive victory.  While not as pretty or exciting as the Kansas City 6-0 win, 1-0 over Houston is probably much more important for the confidence and psyche.  This win should do wonders for FCD over the next stretch.

All in all, I thought we outplayed them, which is something else considering they’re the best team in the league.  For a second there, when we missed the PK, I was like here we go again. It was déjà vu from the last game we played against them, but we came back and Jeff had a great goal. The most important thing right now is we’re defending well. It seems to be holding up well. Two clean sheets in a row, to me that more than anything says we’re doing a good job. – FCD midfield Dave van den Bergh.

I think we were confident going into the game, obviously five days ago we had the biggest win in franchise history against Kansas City and we are starting to put some of the missing pieces together. We have battled through injuries, we have battled through tough mistakes that we learned from, and tonight we just put it all together, I think we could have won two or three to zero but we will take the three points and I said before, we were confident and dominated the first 15-20 minutes and kept it tight at the back. – FCD defender Drew Moor

El Bueno (The Good)

For the first 15 minutes FCD dominated play with outstanding possession and took advantage of some Dynamo mistakes.  Did Houston expect Dallas to roll over for them?  Cunningham and Co. shoulda/coulda had three or four in the first 20.  This start carried over the excellent play from the last few games.  I loved the high pressure that was causing all kinds of problems for Houston.

I think we really started off well. The first ball the defense made a mistake on, Jeff had a chance to put us ahead in the first 20 seconds. It just seemed like that pressure continued to come. Jeff did a really good job getting isolated on one-on-ones. It was really unfortunate that he didn’t get a goal earlier. – FCD Head Coach Schellas Hyndman

I’m beginning to sound like a beaten record, but Dax McCarty was terrific. Again.  He was my Man of the Match.  Again.  So smooth and simple, the clean little touch/turn into space is wonderful.  His field vision has come way up.  The ball winning is impressive and clean.  Glenn Davis even mentioned McCarty might be in the mix for a US camp (moment of self-promotion: which I predicted if he carried his spring into the season).  Oops, did Dax just say the P-word?  That’s not good.

I think it’s great to have that mentality. We are starting to take one game at a time. We really don’t want to look past the next 10 games; we really have to finish it out. In a 12-game season we have gotten great results in our first two games. I think a lot of people rubbed us off for the playoffs… – FCD midfielder Dax McCarty

Kyle Davies deserves to hold his spot through the rest of the season.  I really hate to see that injury there, but his play has been exemplary.  He reads the game so well and looks terrific as a partner to Ricchetti.  He’s in danger to miss the next game.  But the minute he’s healthy he deserves his spot back.

What an improvement the two pickups have been, Benitez and Harris. Full credit to the coaching staff.  Benitez at left back is a marvel and Harris has truly balanced the midfield.  More importantly perhaps is that both players are exact fits for the Hyndman mold and aren’t just a “get what you can get” addition.

I thought Jair played extremely well in the back.  Houston is very good on the services and he was able to shut everything down on that side. – Hyndman

Love the FC Dallas Youth banner.  Just saying.

Full credit to FCD for hanging on for the win.  For a team  noted for blowing leads and folding like a pup tent, this is a hell of a victory.  FCD wasn’t playing their best ball from the 20 minute mark on and they still held on.

I really thought it was another great team performance in a game we deserved to win. In the past, we would be up and find a way to give up goals. This is a good win for us. – Hyndman

Two clean sheets in two game for Dario Sala.  His presence in the net is so massive.  He didn’t have to do much today with only one save one 3 shots and only one on goal, but that’s part of it.  The defense plays better with him in there.  Where might this season be if he had been healthy all year?

I really do believe that in these last two games that Dario Sala has started, we have gotten two shutouts. You can’t ask much more out of that. I am surprised that they only had one shot on goal. I think our players right now are playing their best soccer. Dario has been a big help… – Hyndman

El Camino Central (Middle of the Road)

The TV broadcast was a combined team show and an “experiment” put on by the league.  There was one commentator from each team and the graphics were from the company that produced game. They happen to do Houston’s games.  The promos were for both squads.  You might see this idea more going forward, shared “neutral” broadcasts, it would save boat loads of money for the league and teams.  Annoyingly Glenn Davis called FCD the “Hoops.”  Did anyone at FCD bother to tell the league they were dropping that?  How about telling however produces the TV broadcast?

Cunningham was amazing early, but faded later on.  Movement is key to that lone role.  A stagnant striker kills the team play going forward cause someone has to dribble it up rather than playing off the forward.  Lake of movement was why Cunny was subbed I think.  Notice the key word in Hyndman’s comment below about havoc and not knowing where Cunningham is?  Jeff has long been a striker that needed lots of chances to finish, if he was a pure finisher like Stern John he’s be in Europe… like Stern John.  The goal he did score was amazing, what a spectacular individual efforts to beat the entire defense single handedly.

He scored the game winning goal again. I think what is happening is that he creates a lot of havoc for the opposition because they do not know where he is half of the time. He puts himself into good scoring opportunities and I think we are starting to look for him more and more. He has a real nice combination with Atiba, Ferreira, and Van den Bergh working with him so I think he has been exceptional and we hope that he will continue to do so. – Hyndman

I’m a big Brad Davis fan, I love his game.  I don’t know why he was red carded and the validity of the card is not what I want to discuss.  I want to comment on the card because it’s a great lesson for players.  If you’re sitting on the bench and an opposition player on the field ends up near you, no matter what he does, don’t get up, don’t say anything, don’t reach out, don’t insult, and for goodness sake don’t move aggressively toward him.  The referee is going to give the benefit of the doubt to the field player every single time.  All you’ll do is get yourself run.  Just like Davis did.

No Tan Bueno (Not So Good)

Stuart Holden and Ricardo Clark both out of contract?  Oh my, Houston is screwed at the end of this season.

From the FCD goal on, Houston had the better of play.  Why they came out flat I don’t know.  Did FCD sit back after the scored or did Houston just get going?  It’s hard to know.  Thankfully the Dynamo took Ching out at halftime and that killed any real chance they had to score.  Given what RSL did with pace against FCD, it probably wasn’t a bad idea.  But FCD must have adapted cause they handled it well, even after Torres was in at center back.

We did not come out with enough intensity and they had the best of play in the first 15-20 minutes. After the goal we put some passes together, [we] had some chances. In the second half, I do not think we were clinical enough and taking opportunities and they passed the ball along and clogged the middle to make it difficult for us. Overall, it was not a good night for us. – Houston midfielder Stuart Holden

A comment on Ricchetti, who was great as always.  The yellow card for dissent is moronic.  Pablo had to know he was carrying a possible suspension, hell I knew, and now he has to sit out the next game.  To pull that card for something dumb like slamming the ball down and yelling at the referee is inexcusable for the captain and a player of Ricchetti’s experience.  That yellow card and the Davies injury leave Steve Purdy and Daniel Torres as the most likely center back duo for the next game.

I think this was Pablo’s fifth yellow, so we’re going into Columbus without two center backs.  It’s a [darn] shame. Every time we seem to get going, an unforeseen situation occurs. – Hyndman

Great win, but that’s only the second win in fourteen tries for FCD against Houston.  2-7-5.  That record, of anything, underscores the vast difference between these two clubs since the Quakes moved to Houston and the Hunts took over FCD.

Perhaps it’s because it’s what I do for a living, but the TV graphics for the ggame stats said “Houston” and “FC” and it was driving me nuts.  It’s inexcusable, particularly given the space taken up by the full length “Houston.”   Once it was “Houston” the other should have been “FC Dallas.”  Even if you wanted to abbreviate Dallas it should be “FCD” (or maybe “DAL”) then Houston should be “HOU.”  “FC” could after all be Toronto FC, Seattle Sounders FC, or even FC Barcelona for all we know.

Hey coach Hyndman, when you do an interview at halftime look at the camera.  Or at least look up.  It’s TV, not radio.

I didn’t like the subs in this game.  First, pulling Shea off for Rocha.  I can kinda buy wanting Rocha on for possession, but van den Bergh is being burned out.  DvdB needs his minutes reduced and he should have come off, not Shea.  Particularly if you’re going to leave vdBergh wide and make him run.  The second sub was just as bad, I get Wagner in at left mid, cause I’m sure vdBergh was tired.  But Rocha as a forward?  The lazy, not wanting to hustle and play defense Rocha?  This 4-1-4-1 shape demands an active target, not someone like Rocha.  Rocha up top brutally underscores the need for another striker on this team before the window closes.

Bad PK Jeff, maybe it’s time to let Dax take those.

Categories: 120 Fahrenheit.

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