FC Dallas is on its way to South Texas to kick off the new season when they take on the Houston Dynamo this weekend.
From time to time, we welcome in a fellow blogger to help preview the team FC Dallas is taking on this weekend. Today, Dustyn Richardson from Bayou City Soccer is here to discuss an early-season Texas Derby, how the Orange have transformed this winter and what we can expect on Saturday night.
Dustyn Richardson
BDS: Dallas fans can probably relate well to Houston’s offseason in terms of player movement. A lot of players leaving, and for a while, not a lot coming in (though it appears both finally got some new faces in the final hours). What move has the fans there the most excited? What holes are you worried didn’t get filled?
BCS: Going out and getting Jack McGlynn from Philadelphia is a move that has a lot of Dynamo fans very excited. He's still just 21-years-old and looks to be a perfect fit for the way the Dynamo like to play. He has big shoes to fill with the departures of Hector Herrera and Coco Carrasquilla in that Houston midfield but there is a lot of hype around McGlynn and seeing him blossom. The biggest hole is the long-rumored DP number 10 that is yet to be signed. Carrasquilla's hybrid right wing/playmaker role can be filled by one of Sebastian Kowalczyk, Erik Duenas, or even Amine Bassi but the Dynamo don't have another playmaker to help ignite the attack. The rumored signing of Nico Lodeiro makes it seem like the DP won't come until the summer.
BDS: Now that you’ve had a couple of seasons to see what Ben Olsen brings to the club, how do you think this season will go for him? Is he on the hot seat to do well?
BCS: After two playoff appearances in two seasons, after missing out on the postseason for so long, Olsen's job is basically untouchable at this point. His style of play irritates some fans but the results speak for themselves. They won the US Open Cup, made the Western Conference Final, and then were not knocked out last season by Seattle in two penalty shootouts. Olsen has brought in Josh Wolff to his staff this season, another guy with MLS coaching experience. If they falter this season or struggle to compete, it probably will be more on their lack of a number 10 and defensive depth, and not particularly because of Olsen.
BDS: It is weird playing the Texas Derby this early in the season, right?
BCS: It definitely is, especially with temperatures expected to be in the 40s in Houston Saturday night. It seems like the Texas Derby should be in mid-August when it's 110 degrees out. As an opening match, it feels almost like the build up and the anticipation isn't there for a derby, even though it's the first game of the season and there's the anticipation and excitement for that, if that makes sense!
Bonus: any injury concern going into the season that is worth knowing?
Franco Escobar has been missing from the last few preseason matches with what we assume is an injury, but we should know more by Friday. If Escobar is out, and Micael's rumored sale, the Dynamo backline could be missing two of their starters from last season with Ethan Bartlow and Daniel Steres having to slot in at center back and left back.
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