July Outlook: Will the summer spark FC Dallas?
July Outlook: Will the summer spark FC Dallas?
MLS, Leagues Cup and US Open Cup all fill what will be a massive month.
July really snuck up on me here. We’re well over the halfway point in the 2024 season for FC Dallas, and July is a monster of a month.
FC Dallas will play in three separate competitions over the course of 28 days, starting tomorrow night when they host the Portland Timbers.
Let’s break down this month’s schedule to see where the points in the league play will come from and how the club could do in the US Open Cup as well as the Leagues Cup.
Portland Timbers - home - July 4
First up is our match tomorrow. We’ve already discussed it a bit, so I won’t go too deep into it in this post.
Sporting Kansas City - away - July 7
This Sunday, FC Dallas will head to KC for back-to-back games there next week. KC currently sits three points below FC Dallas in the standings. Both are below the playoff line at the moment. Dallas is also still searching for its first road win in league play, and this would be a great chance for them to get it.
Sporting Kansas City - away - USOC - July 10
Following Sunday’s game, the two clubs will meet again with some higher stakes: a chance to advance in the US Open Cup. It will be a fun chess match to see which team goes for it on Sunday more and saves things for this Wednesday's match or if they each go all out for this game instead.
LA Galaxy - home - July 13
Following a trip to KC, FC Dallas returns home to host the LA Galaxy, which is currently the Western Conference’s best team on the road in 2024 (5-3-4 as of this writing). The Galaxy seemed to hit its stride well in 2024 under Greg Vanney, and part of that is due to all of the DPs actually playing like DPs.
Austin FC - home - July 17
Oh, hey, the final Copa Tejas game of the year is another midweek match. FC Dallas could still win Copa Tejas in 2024 with a win (and a little help from the Dynamo when they play Austin later this season). Anything less than that will see the Verde win Copa Tejas in Toyota Stadium again.
New England Revolution - away - July 20
The final league game sees FC Dallas head to New England. So, another lovely game on the turf. The Revs have been a bit of a trainwreck in 2024 under new manager Caleb Porter. Injuries, poor form, and dysfunction have been the headlines for them. If FCD doesn’t win in KC, maybe they pick up that first road win in New England?
St. Louis CITY SC - away - Leagues Cup - July 27
The following week sees the start of the Leagues Cup. FC Dallas will have to go on the road for the first time in this tournament when they travel to take on St. Louis CITY SC for the third time this year. St. Louis just fired their manager, Bradley Carnell, so they are going through a bit of a transition, as FCD is at the moment.
Juarez FC - home - Leagues Cup - July 31
The lone home game in the Group Stage sees FCD host Liga MX side Jaurez FC in a midweek match. Jaurez finished in 12th place last season with a 4-9-4 record. So, this should be a winnable game.
Outlook
Holy freakin’ Lord, guys that is a lot of games. Eight games in less than a month. Three separate competitions. I almost feel like we should be dubbing this month as the Amazing Race for FC Dallas.
Let’s examine this by competition, starting with league play. FC Dallas has five games this month, three of which are at home. Right there, that is nine points the club absolutely has to find a way to pick up if they want to stay in the playoff race. It won’t be easy against all Western Conference teams, but those are the classic ‘six-pointers’ that we always bring up around this time of the year.
The two road games feel doable, though I would far rather put up a dud on Sunday in KC and follow it up with a win in the Open Cup on Wednesday. And New England has been mostly down in 2024, with their most recent home game being a spanking by the Columbus Crew.
As I mentioned above, I would rather win the USOC game in KC than the league game. We’ve always struggled in KC for those types of games, so my hopes aren’t super high, especially with the team's injury situation at the moment. Still, a win there would give FC Dallas a home game in the semifinal round against either Atlanta United or Indy Eleven in late August.
As for the Leagues Cup, getting out of the Group stage is key for this club. Both games are winnable, even on the road in St. Louis. You don’t want to go into a situation where you aren’t getting out of the group and then have to sit around for two or three additional weeks in August.
What do you think is doable for FC Dallas in July? Let’s discuss it below.
My concern is, if past memory serves, in successful seasons we start fast, hit the doldrums of summer and then finish strong. The years we start slow we rarely recover. Now I doubt Musa or IIllarmendi has that in their DNA but I fear the schedule is not helpful going forward to avoid the summer doldrums this time for sure.
My best guess, or maybe hopeful wish, is for FC Dallas to win all 3 MLS home games, and SKC on their turf. While New England is possible, I think our best chance at an away game is the one up next, not the one in the middle of the month. As for the US Open or Leagues Cup, my only preference is for the Open. After all, we have a connection to it.