Dynamo Reserves eat with Sporks
by Martek on Oct 19, 2011 11:38 AM CDT
in Match Reports
Email
Print
Among the highlights of the Dynamo Reserves' 2-0 win yesterday morning over the Kansas City Wizards Sporks are a couple of very nice finishes from Alex Dixon and Colin Clark. When thinking beyond this season, it's getting pretty clear that Dixon is a serious asset. Check out the moves he makes to create space in a dangerous area before cooly finishing the chance. This kid could just become 2012 Dynamo Park's first breakout star. (Of course, now that I've written that, I've probably jinxed him utterly.)
With the win, Los Najaranitos finished the season at 6-4, second in the Central/Mountain Division of the MLS Reserve League. Not bad.
Here's the box from the press release:
Houston Dynamo Reserves (6-4-0) vs. Sporting Kansas City Reserves (3-4-2) Scoring Summary: Houston Dynamo -- Tyler Deric, Kofi Sarkodie, Hunter Freeman, Jermaine Taylor, Josue Soto, Danny Cruz (Francisco Navas Cobo 63), Je-Vaughn Watson, Alex Dixon, Colin Clark, Will Bruin (Bradley Bourgeois 46), Jason Garey. Sporting Kansas City -- Eric Kronberg, Michael Harrington, Lawrence Olum, Shavar Thomas, Korede Aiyegbusi (Nicholas Gonzalez 77), Craig Rocastle, Birahim Diop, Jeferson, Kevin Ellis, Soony Saad, Milos Stojcev (Scott Lorenz 54). Misconduct Summary:
October 18, 2011 -- Swope Park, Kansas City, MO
MLS Reserve League -- Central/Mountain Division
HOU -- Alex Dixon 1 (unassisted) 28
HOU -- Colin Clark 1 (Will Bruin 1) 42
Substitutes Not Used: Evan Newton, Christian Gonzalez.
Substitutes Not Used: Jon Kempin, Edvin Worley.
KC -- Birahim Diop (caution; Reckless Foul) 55
One question I have is what exactly was Danny Cruz doing playing in a reserve match for 62 minutes three days after the Portland win?
Take a look at the highlights and tell me if you notice anything interesting.
10 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Interesting?
Either the camera crew is filming almost exclusively for SKC or they had WAY more possession and chances than we did. Though that aside, we put it in the back of the net and they didn’t. Such is football.
Dixon is definitely an asset and its why I hope Dom lets him get in this Sunday and in the playoffs…yes he’s young and yes, its even more intense but to me I think he needs to experience that. And while I don’t want us to bow out quickly, I also realize we’re basically playing with house money, being in the playoffs and all. So why not throw something special out there? He’s got pace AND touch, two things we’re in short supply thereof.
As for Cruz, its like I said in the post Ginge put up: I actually hope Cruz sits this next game and I can see him playing in the reserves because once again his Jack Russell terrier routine almost got himself ejected. Yes, I agree we need his energy and pace but at times it is almost Watson-like; all things being the same, I’d rather have Dixon play at RM than Cruz. I’m not saying I don’t like Cruz because I do, and maybe he will calm the hell down and not make so many silly & reckless plays – the play on Chabala was far from the only one – but if you basically get the same from Dixon, only with less experience and less frenetic activity then I choose Dixon. Just sayin’
Oh, and I’m really glad that Cobo and Soto have been getting reserve minutes, along with Bourgeois. I’d love to see Cobo and Soto get some first-team minutes later next season, I think it would be time to bring them in as occasional subs after the first third of the next season.
i voted sarkodie
i’m very excited for the prospect of two speedy outside backs. with boswell showing occasional glimpses of age, i think we’re likely to see a Cameron & Andre pairing in the center (assuming Cameron is kept there). also very excited for bruin, but barring a DP signing i think he’s a lock to play every game next year, if not start.
by Futbol anonymous on Oct 19, 2011 12:49 PM CDT reply actions
I'd love that
if we could bring in both Dixon & Sarkodie more next season, we’d have some pretty good speed on our hands; Ashe & Sarkodie would effectively be quasi-LM/RMs since with their speed they could easily make deep, overlapping runs on the wings. Also, using Dixon as an RM would also put another quick player in the attack. Of course, we need to have that balance between discipline, strength and speed so as long as we keep most of what we have: Cameron & Hainault at CB, Davis at LM and Moffat at DM, unless we get a proper CAM then maybe move Camargo to DM, and of course Bruin up top with Ching played less to save him over the course of the season. That would require, of course, another consistent FW, and while Weaver performed well there if we can find someone better who can play that target man then we should do it. Suddenly we’ve got a very potent team on our hands…
I also would love to see Sarkodie and Dixon in there at the same time. By themselves they’ll turn us into a much, much faster side. The problem, of course, is that unless HRH Kofi does not improve on defense, then he’ll be a liability over there, a frustrating, amazingly quick liability.
Still, how great would it be to see a Dynamo team with actual dizzying pace? That would be fun.
I’m not sure what will come first with DCruz, something he does so stupidly that I want to kill him, or something that makes me so happy he’s in Orange. Of course, usually both of those things happen in a random pattern pretty much continuously every second he’s on the field. Watching him, I feel like an epileptic staring at a strobe light. Every time he runs by me with the ball, I yell “Danny!! Awesome, now don’t fuck it up this time.”
"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie
by Martek on Oct 19, 2011 3:33 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
That, my friend
will be forever stuck in my head: Danny Cruz as an emotional strobe light. Sad but true. :)
And yeah, HRH Kofi still has time to put it together; to me, if we were that patient with Ashe (I certainly wasn’t) then we should afford the same to Kofi, and moreso because his ceiling is higher. But we need to start breaking in the younglings since as we try to shape the team more next season it will only help getting them minutes.
My love of Dixon has been known by most for quite a while now
The kid is a big piece to our team puzzle going forward, and I am excited to see him really starting to show why he deserves to put in some time with the first team. He has the tools, techniques, and that missing for far, far too long bit of creativity in the run of play. Just imagine what the starting XI could do if they could actually score consistently from the run of play!!! Haha. Amazing thought.
I also love Sarkodie. The kid is gifted, but I think he still needs another year beyond this 2011 season to mature. That’s not to say I don’t think he could start in the back for us next season, I just think he could use some more development time.
It’s nice to know we still have a FO who can pluck talent when they find it, and develop it. Even if it takes them FOR FREAKIN EVER…see: Cruz, Danny.
-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog
Dixon
is basically a rich man’s Cruz, but without the Watson tendencies. As you noted he has pace, technique and much-needed creativity. I love Moffat and his play but if you asked me to choose our DM for the future and I’d go with Camargo. If we could pair him with Dixon and with Cobos and Soto we could have a very scary-looking midfield. As foreverorange noted below, look at the room for growth our team has in the near future:
GK: Hall (26), Deric (23)
D: Ashe (25), Sarkodie (20), Cameron (26), Hainault (25), Bourgeois (18?), Taylor (26), Boswell (28)
MF: Cobo (19), Soto (21?), Dixon (21), Camargo (24), Moffat (25), Davis (29), Cruz (21), Clark (27)
FW: Bruin (22) [note – what about Pana Vasquez (22)? Is he still in the plans as he’s about to graduate from Cal State?]
So other than the FW spot, we’re looking pretty young and spry all around. I still think there’s plenty of veteran talent around to help usher in the young blood, by the end of next season I imagine Dixon will be starting regularly and we’ll see pretty frequent first-team subbing with Sarkodie, Soto and Cobo
It’s amazing how well our academy has produced good players to replace players in roles that already fit our style of play.
Our keeper is really setup well because we have Hall, 25, with backup Deric, really good and mature for his age (from what I’ve seen), and Pina, who I’m pretty much in the dark about with the exception of things said by coaches here and there.
Our backline should be fine for a while with Cameron and Hainault having a number of years before they should go sour, and Ashe and Sarkodie manning the outside in some time to come.
The midfield shows, more than anything else, what the academy is capable of. With the combination of Soto, Dixon, Navas Cobos, we already have our attackers in midfield for years to come. Maybe Camargo sticks around and plays Defensive Mid, at the age of 24 he still has plenty of good years left in him.
Up top, we have Bruin and nobody. I’m expecting some noise to come out of the academy up top someday, but as of right now, we’re still waiting for the first forward to come play for the senior side.
Here’s a scary thought, the oldest player I mentioned just now was Cameron. He’s going to have to learn to lead this team sooner rather than later.
by foreverorange25 on Oct 19, 2011 8:40 PM CDT reply actions
Amazing, though
imagine: Cameron is potentially the captain of the team in a couple of years’ time, and even then he’d be 29. At that point he’d be in his peak form, and assuming we leave him at CB next season he has to be a shoe-in for a NT call-up. And we’d still have Bourgeois as a young CB who’s already getting reserve minutes plus I know we have a couple of other Academy defenders graduating soon who may be coming up as well. Pair that with Ashe & Sarkodie at the back plus a midfield of Soto, Dixon and Cobos and wow, its scary. And you’re absolutely right: I think if we can swing Camargo’s salary to keep it relatively low (at least just below DP level) he’s still very young and could be our DM for a while. I get excited thinking about watching him pair up with those 3 in the middle and of course with El Oso up top. And all of this unfolding in our new stadium.
The future is bright, friends
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
