All I want for Christmas…

By: Robert | June 20th, 2007

Now that the summer transfer season is off and running I think I should discuss the FC Dallas wants and needs. Christmas is only supposed to come once a year but if we get what I want it could come a second time, on November 18, in the form of a MLS Cup. For starters I know we all would like to have a team consisting of Cesc Fabregas, Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo, Daniel Alves, uh, Didier Drogba, maybe Diego, oh yeah Kaka…well you know where I’m going with this, but A) this is real-life MLS not EA Sports FIFA 06 and B) even if all those guys did want to come play here no team could afford them all. Also, since there are like 4 million soccer players around the world (I made that number up,) I won’t pretend to know everybody and name specific names, rather I’ll discuss the types of players that would good in a Hoops shirt in terms of priority.

1. A big, strong forward who’s good in the air. I know our defense is shaky, allows too many goals and leaves too many openings for opponents’ goal scoring chances when they over-pursue, but there is no one type of player (Michael Essien doesn’t count, remember we have to be able to afford him) that is going to change that. For FC Dallas to be successful this season we’re going to need to score and score a lot. I know I just wrote a post about a week ago saying we needed to play better defense but I’ve changed my tune, I no longer think we have the beginnings of a defense that can lead us to a title, so I say focus on the other side of the field. To give an apt analogy, consider FC Dallas the soccer version of basketball’s Phoenix Suns.

A Brian Ching, Taylor Twellman-type would draw attention away from Carlos Ruiz up top and help create space between an opponents’ defensive midfield and their backline, as fullbacks would have to worry more about covering some big, strong guy than clogging the passing lanes. This space would mean more operating room for Toja, Alvarez and Nunez and more goal scoring chances for FC Dallas. I don’t know how you finance this move and maybe the arrival of Ricardihno will fill this need, but if he plays like many of his countrymen it probably won’t.

2. A lock-down, stay-at-home right back. I know, blasphemy right? We all love Drew Moor and I don’t want to single him out for our defensive short-comings because its not one guys fault we can only keep Real Salt Lake off the board. But considering Chris Gbandi on the left side is the reigning FC Dallas defensive player of the year, I decided to swap out Drew Moor. What needs to happen is for a wing back to just stop the offense on his side of the field, that in-turn would stop the over-pursuit by the center-backs to one-side of the field and somewhat improve our defense. We don’t need him to become part of the attack because we have the offense covered, so he doesn’t have to run up and down the pitch all day just stay on the right side and let no one through. However, this move is also the most financially frustrating decision as we would have to get rid of a descent defender who makes $17,700 a season for someone who would obviously make a lot more (Although for comparison’s sake all our starting defenders make very little; Yi: $12,900 Goodson: $12,900 Gbandi: $30,870)

3. A play-destroying midfielder. The best in the league at this is probably Pablo Mastroeni, but we need someone capable of just breaking up attacks before they get to our backline. If Moor, Goodson, Yi and Gbandi are subject to fewer attacks then there are fewer chances for them to make tactical mistakes. In my opinion we have to keep Dax McCarty he’s young, talented and cheap (plays for the US U-20 team and makes $12,900 per year.) But Marcelo Saragosa makes $71,883 and considering we found Juan Toja and got him to accept 30 grand, I’m sure a better option could be had at 50, maybe even 60. In fact because the defense doesn’t get fixed with one player, I think this may be the more important of the two.

On a side note I never like the idea of just dropping someone, even if you don’t want them anymore; I say sell them, even if you don’t get much in return because everyone knows you want to sell. Unless you need to quickly free up cash to make a move I’d rather get something than nothing and there is almost always someone willing to buy.

We’re going to have to wait and see what the front office boys do, but there’s my wish-list, what’s yours? Because this is Dallas where this year the FC stands for “Find the Cup” (Yeah I cheated so what, these aren’t easy.)

HOOPS PRIDE!

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