FC Dallas Acquires Blas Perez - Instant Reaction
by Daniel Robertson on Jan 3, 2012 7:41 PM CST
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Since trading away Kenny Cooper in the summer of 2009, FC Dallas has been searching for what Schellas Hyndman likes to call the alpha dog forward. Jeff Cunningham plugged the gap for awhile with a remarkable scoring run while they somehow got to MLS Cup with Atiba Harris up top. 2011 was a nightmare up top prompting FC Dallas to trade away Eric Avila in search of the answer, but finally on January 3, 2012, Dallas has signed their big time forward. His name is Blas Pérez.
A little bit on Perez, he is a Panamanian who made his name in Colombia and Mexico. In recent years he has scored loads of goals for teams like Pachuca, Tigres, San Luis and Leon. He was due for a move to Indios, however when the team was de-certified due to debts unpaid he found himself without a club and FC Dallas pounced. Perez, known at Super Raton, AKA Mighty Mouse,
Perez is a tall forward who makes a living on poaching goals. He's two footed, though his right foot is stronger, and he does a good job of hassling defenders into errors that he feeds on. In games I've seen in the past as well as YouTube highlights, you can expect Perez to be the one crashing the box when Brek Shea and Jackson find themselves free down the wings.
He had this to say on Twitter(paraphrased)
I'm happy and grateful to God for this new challenge that comes in my career. Thank you for all your comments, happy new year.
Keep reading for some instant thoughts on the signing and the YouTubes
Perez a signing two years in the making For the first time since 2009, we go into pre-season knowing who the starting forward is. Dallas still needs backup help on the wings and another backup forward, but the starting "strikeforce" on this squad with Shea, Ferreira, Jackson and Perez will be quite formidable to say the least.
A win-now signing For FCD this is a win-now signing. I don't buy for a second that Perez is too old or anything like that. He was great in the 2011 Gold Cup and has been fantastic for Panama in 2014 World Cup qualifying. However, this is likely not a guy that will be here for three years. 2012 could be the last year with Brek Shea and George John so I applaud Dallas for finally making a move like this.
Perez lives up top How many times in 2011 was Shea or Chavez freed down the wing with no one to cross to in the middle? That won't happen with Perez who is a guy that is generally mucking things up in the box. He just always seems to find his way to the ball and does a great job at finishing those half chances.
Get excited There wasn't really much fanfare to this one, curiously, but this is a huge signing. One person told me on Twitter "FC Dallas has gained 3 million fans." Can't wait to watch this guy go up against MLS defenders.
We know what the 2012 opening day starting lineup looks like
---------------Hartman-------------
Loyd------Ugo----John----Benitez
--------------Hernandez-----------
Jackson----Jacobson-----Shea
--------------Ferreira---------------
----------------Perez----------------
They need depth, but that's a salty starting 11 that compares to any in the league....let's get this season started.
A bit on the Pertuz deal Obviously there's not much video on Pertuz, but he fills a need and I'll be very excited to see him in pre-season. Just have to wait and see on this one.
Some video
Goles de Blas Pérez en Tigres UANL (via mextigbar)
Ficha Técnica: Goles de Blas Pérez (via 2012CTC)
Perez goal at 2:00
USA vs Panamá Copa Oro 2009 Cuartos de Final 2 1 (via tiroagolmx)
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup: Panama v Cuba 2-1 (via CrazyMonk316)
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yyyeeeeeeeeehhhaaaaaaaaawwwwwwww!!!!!!!!
by fennsk1 on Jan 3, 2012 8:21 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Or maybe...
Perez——-
—Castillo——
Shea—DF—Jax
-——-AJ————
in a 4-4-2….exciting possibilities
I think the formatting got messed up
but a diamond 4-4-2 with
Castillo-Perez
-—Ferreira—-
Shea———Jax
—Jacobson—
I like that a lot
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by Daniel Robertson on Jan 3, 2012 9:12 PM CST reply actions
SOB
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-FC Dallas-
by Daniel Robertson on Jan 3, 2012 9:13 PM CST up reply actions
Hmmm
Give me the 4-4-2 with that…the depth is there now to certainly do it. Change out Castillo and Luna throughout the season and the team should be good.
Editor/writer at Big D Soccer, writer at SBNation.com/soccer, owner/founder of WVHooligan.com and you can follow me on Twitter.
by Drew Epperley on Jan 3, 2012 9:21 PM CST up reply actions
The other nice benefit would be
that you could bring on Capt Hernandez for Perez when we got up a goal (or more) and were trying to protect the lead. Saves Perez’ 30+ year-old legs and DH’s knee through reduced playing time and still have the homerun counterattack with Castillo’s speed on the field.
Best thing imo
He’s tall! The past year it was frustrating knowing that Brek was our only tall guy available during the run of play (until we got Santos). Blas coming in at over 6ft is a nice aerial threat we’ve not had in a while (excluding corners, we’ve done OK on them).
by Timothy Winning Voyles on Jan 3, 2012 9:32 PM CST reply actions
Boy, he does like that top shelf laser shot...freezes the keeper every time
"It was impossible to get a conversation going. Everybody was talking too much" - Yogi Berra
AAAAACK! NOOOOOOOO
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/01/03/reports-rapids-set-name-pareja-new-head-coach
DallasTilIDie
MAJ, USA
stuck in Afghanistan, a long long way from Pizza Hut Park
...and Yes!
the news about Perez and Pertuz is outstanding. Perez should fit the bill nicely. Does this mean we’ll no longer be pursuing Alemanno (I presume?)
DallasTilIDie
MAJ, USA
stuck in Afghanistan, a long long way from Pizza Hut Park
Looks like they have cap space
By my calculations, the 15 FCD players not on GA or HG contracts (I didn’t include Cruz’s salary, because he and Villar probably won’t both return) that are likely to return had guaranteed salaries totaling about $2.25 million in 2011. Subtract $350k for Ferreira DP status, and the red stripes were about $800,000 below the cap before these signings. Then you add to that whatever allocation money they got for Chavez, and subtract these two’s salaries. I think the Hunts should have enough cash to extend George John and/or make another significant signing.
Of course, there’s plenty of conjecture within my calculations. Some of the salaries probably went up, they might keep both Cruz and Villar, and allocation money is completely opaque. I’d be surprised if they are without significant flexibility right now, though.
I’ll be surprised if there are any other signing before the draft, since they must be aiming to patch up some depth issues there.
If I was Luna or Castillo...
…and we did pick up Alemanno….that would be very demoralizing for me. Heck, if I were Ruben Luna and I just picked up 10 goals in the Reserve League, I might be a little disgruntled at all the discussion of the urgent need for a striker up front. Castillo also might well be wondering why he was brought on board, unless he is ultimately used as a winger instead of a striker. Given the likelihood of 2012 being Shea’s last year with us, and all the NT time Shea will likely see in 2012, I wouldn’t be so concerned in Castillo’s shoes.
So if Alemanno gets added to that picture, and Luna drops to #3 on the depth chart, he might well want to seek employment elsewhere, home grown or not. Unless…we try out some of the 4-4-2 ideas mentioned above?
Anyway, I haven’t felt this optimistic about FCD since the 2010 playoffs…and even then I was concerned about Handball Harris. Pertuz is a great replacement for John (also expected to depart before 2013 begins). Very optimistic about Perez up top. There has also been some talk of concern at DM, but I personally think Jacobsen and Warshaw can fill that need just fine. Plus there’s the draft, and if Ives Galarcep is right, Aaron Maund may well add some more depth to our back line.
So what’s the next priority fill? A better backup for Ferreira than Villar? A more consistent right wing than Jackson? Or are we going to sign another striker (Alemanno) to give ourselves a little more flexibility in our lineup?
DallasTilIDie
MAJ, USA
stuck in Afghanistan, a long long way from the stadium formerly known as Pizza Hut Park
by DallasTilIDie on Jan 4, 2012 8:36 AM CST up reply actions
At least we've got options now!
Before this we could easily have played a 5-5-0 and just long balled to no one every game =)
by Timothy Winning Voyles on Jan 4, 2012 9:22 AM CST up reply actions
over-reacting to a hypothetical
Luna should still be able to get some PT this year, and Blas is unlikely to stick around for more than a season or two, based on his history, so Ruben will play plenty as he matures. I’d agree with bringing in another forward because I don’t think Ruben’s earned unquestioned #2 status yet. Doesn’t mean he isn’t capable of overtaking one of them or at least playing when a veteran’s injured or exhausted.
I really think Castillo’s more of a wing. Never understood why someone would want him up top for any reason other than desperation. Ideally he and Leyva are competing for energy guy off the bench.
I hope they use the extra cash mainly to extend GJ for a couple years at a decent salary, then add some depth at either striker, or the right side of midfield or defense. Whichever of those spots isn’t supplemented by the draft.
so my question is...
…why did we pay a DP-level transfer fee for an energy guy off the bench when we already had an excellent one in Eric Avila…if this is all Castillo does for us, then that signing was a mistake.
Don’t think that’s the case though. Pretty sure he’ll be groomed this year to become Brek Shea’s replacement.
DallasTilIDie
MAJ, USA
stuck in Afghanistan, a long long way from the stadium formerly known as Pizza Hut Park
by DallasTilIDie on Jan 4, 2012 10:58 PM CST up reply actions
Yeah, I think he's Brek's replacement
At it’s core, I think that transfer was an investment. They felt they could could groom him into a contributor and then flip him for profit.
Good things to come...
FCD has some good options coming up. My brain is spinning thinking about what could be. With Perez, Luna The Flash, Shea, DF10……..so many options.
The Red Shamrock Union
DTID!
Questions???
not to put a brake on all the excitement, but Why has Perez been at so many clubs? Will he be able to get on the BUS? If not how does that affect the rest of the team and SH as coach? not sure if there are answers to all of these but I thought they need to be voice.
Also
The nature of player movement in Mexico is such that players bounce around more.
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-SB Nation Dallas/Ft. Worth-
-FC Dallas-
by Daniel Robertson on Jan 4, 2012 11:16 AM CST up reply actions
Hyndman doesn’t need a long-term solution at striker. That’s what Ruben Luna, Jonathan Top, and, possibly, Fabian Castillo (though I think he’s more a winger) are for. Looks like Blas’ history suggests he’s very capable of coming in and scoring lots of goals for a year or two, and that’s exactly what’s needed in Frisco.
The situation reminds me very much of Jeff Cunningham’s arrival a few years ago. A golden boot and MLS Cup Final appearance came from that. Today I’m much more optimistic about the club’s forwards than I have been since Cunningham’s departure.
Not saying your concerns are invalid, but at least the guy has produced at all of those clubs.
So
Is this why we traded Marvin?
If so, how do these transactions grade out, initially?
DTID
COYW
Initially
I have to say it looks pretty good on paper.
We upgraded the striker position from ZERO professional-caliber strikers to ONE professionally-proven striker…that’s a huge improvement.
And when you look at the RW position where Chavez played – we replaced a small, fast, average-skilled, hard-working, team-first, likeable guy with a larger, slightly less-fast (but still fast), better-skilled, less hard-working, more selfish and less likeable guy.
On the pitch, I think this will prove to be an upgrade if Jackson can perform to his abilities.
Whereas Chavez struggled with consistency and was sometimes more Oduro-esque, Jax always seems composed and skilled even if he does make the occasional bonehead play. My biggest concern is team chemistry if both Jax and Perez can play nice together.
by jyj on Jan 4, 2012 2:23 PM CST up reply actions
Luna's not a professional caliber striker yet?
maybe he’s not ready to rip first team league play to shreds just yet, but he’s certainly proven that he’s professional caliber in my book after last year’s Reserve League play – he was leaps and bounds beyond anyone else that took the field up top.
What is the issue with Luna anyway? Does he have some fitness problems? Can’t produce in the air? Not comfortable with the ball at his feet? I have to acknowledge that I seem to be the only voice (fan or club) saying he’s ready to be the #2 guy up top, much less a contender for starting XI. So maybe I’m missing something?
DallasTilIDie
MAJ, USA
stuck in Afghanistan, a long long way from the stadium formerly known as Pizza Hut Park
by DallasTilIDie on Jan 7, 2012 7:46 AM CST up reply actions
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