Picking Up the Pieces from the Weekend

When asked post-match if there were any positives he and his team could take away from the their 2-0 defeat against Seattle, Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear said, "No."

It's tough not to agree with Kinnear but rather than sit here and beat the drum slowly for the impending demise of the Dynamo season, I think a search for some positives would do everyone a little good. Yes, I know, you're shocked that Mr. Black Cloud himself is trumpeting the virtues of positivity but let's face it, a playoff run for the Dynamo is not impossible but it's certainly looking unlikely and why not try to find things we can focus on the rest of the season that might put a smile on our collective faces.

Geoff Cameron is back! Would this season have been different if Cameron not been lost for over half the year? Probably, but as important as Geoff is to the team, the issues the Dynamo have been dealing with are bigger than one man. That said, it's nice to have him back and he can only help to boost the struggling offense down the stretch.

Cameron's injury exposed a lack of depth at the attacking midfield position. While Lovel Palmer has won many over after getting a chance to play in the role, the fact that Cameron is back a bit sooner than expected is very important. Kinnear needs to see if Cameron can settle in to the CAM role in order to be able to make a proper decision in the offseason as to whether that spot will need to be addressed. If Cameron can get comfortable, he and Palmer should be able to handle the position unless the Dynamo are committed to finding a designated player to fill the role.

Need another positive? Tally Hall is starting in goal. Let me get this out first, I'm not bashing Pat Onstad. Without Onstad the Dynamo don't win two MLS Cups and aren't one of the most successful teams in MLS over the past five seasons. That said we needed to see what Tally Hall is capable of and ensure he is the man Kinnear will want to entrust the goalkeeping job to for the foreseeable future.

If you just look at Hall's league numbers, 1-2-1, 1.75 GAA, 7 goals in 4 matches, you may not immediately get excited about Tally, but in this situation, ignore the stats. If you really watch him play, you see a keeper that is mobile, comes off his line quickly and with authority and makes good reflex saves. In addition, Hall is positionally strong and know show to play the position. I'm sure some fans will say he's made mistakes or has given up too many rebounds, but this is the first time he's had consistent playing time since coming to Houston and the "negatives" are things that he will work through and likely eliminate from his game. 

So there are two positives to keep in mind as we move through August, but I'd like to think there are more. Let me know if you see other positives we should focus on.