The Ugly Pill
So I’ve had a feeling all week and even threw out the idea to Tom that FC Dallas might be looking at the 3 games left, potentially the playoffs and thinking this isn’t our year. Watching this weekends game against the Chicago Fire proved just that. I’m not going to dissect the game as a whole but the team just couldn’t be bothered. FCD Fans showed their frustrations on Twitter , which I can’t blame them for. Lets just have a chat about why the idea of tanking isn’t as terrible as everyone thinks. Even if it enrages us in this moment.
Dallas is a young team made up of what was left of the Pareja regime. With practically no help from the front office to build the roster. It had to be through the youth, and thankfully it was there. Players like Thomas Roberts, Paxton Pomykal, and Jesus Ferriera shocked all of MLS this season. It also happened to be the year FCDs’ USL squad came to be. Players like Richard Danso, Artur, and Jatta having exceptional seasons, and are looking for some MLS minutes next season. North Texas Soccer Club is officially the first winner of the USL League 1 and that bolsters those players claims.
FC Dallas hasn’t quite had the same season. Something that can come with youth sometimes is it can be a little streaky. If there’s anything you could say about this season for the team is that it has been streaky. There has been a ton of minutes given to a ton of young guys this year. Making next year a sophmore year for a number of guys who are top of their age group and have gotten solid W’s and suffered some tough L’s through the 2019 season.
With that being said if front office can’t come up with a single starting 11 quality players in the transfer market the only position FCD doesn’t potentially have a starting 11 quality back up coming through their system is a CB. Reto Ziegler is getting up there in age at 33, and Bressan is a solid replacement but is known for some pretty fantastically awful slip ups. If there is one place you can guarantee yourself a defender is the MLS draft. Of The top 5 MLS draft picks that have been picked in 3 out of the past 5 years, 3 of those players were defenders. With the West being contentious as it has been this season, losing the rest of the season could get them a top draft pick. With Callum Motgomery looking like he might stay with NTXSC for another season depending on how the NCAA season pans out there could be an elite CB out there for Dallas.
Now I realize and I’m sure Dan Hunt and Luchi Gonzalez realize this doesn’t particularly play well to an already disgruntled fanbase, but if this pays off they could be looking at an elite team halfway through next season latest 2021. Provided that is Dan doesn’t transfer them all away for pennies before the players really develop, but that’s a whole rant for another day. For me after watching this Chicago Fire game I don’t see players giving up on a system. I see a club giving up on a season. They will never say it, or admit to it, but with a league where you can lose on purpose and potentially benefit from it there will be clubs that take that chance. FC Dallas looks like that club. I’m not against it personally but it’s an ugly pill FCD fans will have to swallow.
Sincerely,
The Bull Prophet
