FC Dallas walked away from Saturday night’s game against St. Louis with a point, but it certainly didn’t feel like much of a point.
In a match that had all the makings of adding on to a pair of statement wins, while also opening a crucial three-game homestand, FC Dallas instead spent the first half chasing the game. They found a small spark in the second half, but ultimately let a winnable game slip through their hands.
Let’s dive into some of the key aspects of this shutout win.
Lineup choices may have contributed to slow start
Say what you will about how FC Dallas manager Eric Quill builds his lineups from week to week, but there are times when his loyalty to in-form players can work against him.
This felt like one of those nights.
With Bernard Kamungo out due to a muscle injury (and likely sidelined until the World Cup break in June), changes had to come to the lineup. Kamungo was in the locker room postgame with a soft brace on his left leg, so this isn’t a late scratch situation. The staff had time to adjust.
And that’s where things get a little questionable.
After missing the game in D.C. last week due to heavy travel in the March FIFA window with Sweden, Herman Johansson was back and available. On paper, it felt like this was the right move to plug-and-play Johansson for Kamungo. Maybe you flip Shaq Moore to the left, or even push Nolan Norris out to the wingback. Instead, Quill stuck with Deedson on the wings, continuing to ride something in the Haitian that he likes.
That decision wasn’t entirely wrong, as Deedson did end up with the game’s only goal for Dallas. But when you zoom out a bit, it certainly contributed to the group that just didn’t click early on.
The same goes for Patrickson Delgado. He earned another start after a strong showing last week in D.C., where he scored a wonderful free kick goal. But we’ve seen a pattern forming with Delgado this season. When he’s on, he can be a difference maker. When he’s not, like we saw on Saturday, the midfield can quickly feel disconnected.
Then there’s a bigger one for me.