There’s a point in every season where expectations meet reality, and not every player lands on the right side of that line. Some players are steady throughout the season, some trend upwards, and other are starting to hear the noise a bit louder than they’d like.
That is where the FC Dallas Panic Index comes in. This is a new monthly look at the first team roster, that sorts players into tiers based on where things stand right now, from those with little or no concern, all the way to those who should worry about whether or not we’ll see them in a Dallas uniform in the coming years.
This isn’t just about performance. It’s about expectations, opportunity, role and in some cases, timing. Some players are locked in no matter what. Others are running out of runway.
Let’s dive in.
Panic Level: Low/None
Reason: There is little to no panic about this group. They’re performing at the level that we expect them to this season.
Players: Petar Musa, Logan Farrington, Shaq Moore, Osaze Urhoghide, Kaick, Joaquin Valiente
I don’t think there is a need to break down each player within this group at the moment. Musa and Farrington are leading the team in goals. Kaick is starting to really come into form this season, which is very encouraging. Moore and Urhoghide had had some moments, but overall, I don’t see a reason to panic over either one of them unless it is an injury. And while it may be too soon to feel comfortable about Valiente, his two assist effort against Houston is reason enough for me to not have a panic over him just yet.
Panic Level: A slow simmer
Reason: The panic meter is starting to move a little bit, but not by a ton. Let’s just say we’re keeping an eye on this group for movement one way or the other.