Dynamo Theory - Texas Derby 2014You may all go to hell and I will support the Dynamo.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48763/dynamotheory-fave.png2014-04-08T09:30:02-05:00http://www.dynamotheory.com/rss/stream/53330872014-04-08T09:30:02-05:002014-04-08T09:30:02-05:00Player Ratings: Houston Dynamo v FC Dallas
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<figcaption>Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Dynamo dropped their 2nd straight match to rival FC Dallas in stunning fashion. The Dynamo lost 4-1 with the officiating being the main topic for the Dynamo loyal, but organizational problems in the back after a David Horst red card had the Dynamo playing catch up as things went from bad to worse. </p> <p></p>
<p>It's impossible to write up these ratings without some clarification about how I personally viewed the game as I observed two distinct Dynamo squads at BBVA Compass this last Saturday. First of all, it's easy to say that referee Ricardo Salazar had a significant impact on the game. It's also something that I completely agree with, but at the professional level teams have to adjust to poor calls and being down a man. Rarely do I see teams fall apart quite the way the Dynamo did after the David Horst red card - seriously, on the first play their set piece defending was a mess. That being said, before the red card, the Dynamo really looked like the better side. They moved the ball into the attacking 3<sup>rd</sup> of the field fairly well despite a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigdsoccer.com/">Dallas</a> side that was marking our guys very tight which narrowed passing lanes. They also didn't give up when Dallas was awarded a questionable penalty kick and found a way back into the game.</p>
<p>This game was very polarized in how the Dynamo played with the red card being the moment of change, so I encourage everyone that disagrees or has any kind of insight at all about the game and how the players played to please comment. The question that is eating at me is how does playing down a man affect players and tactics and how should I, or we, weigh our judgments based on those factors. It's just the kind of question that I think helps us understand the performances better. On to the ratings!</p>
<p><b><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dynamotheory.com/">Houston Dynamo</a> Player Ratings:</b> <br><br><b><span>Tally Hall</span> (5)</b> - It's really hard to ever fault a goalkeeper for not stopping a penalty, and even though Hall guessed the right way on the penalty kick awarded to Dallas, Michel's kick simply had too much power underneath it as it went in. Hall made a point blank save against <span>David Texeira</span>, which is up <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/04/07/vote-now-mls-save-week-week-5">for save of the week</a>, so please go vote. Hall commanded his line well until the David Horst red card which saw a massive drop in communication from the back. David Horst was the vocal leader in the back, but Hall should have stepped up and taken charge. Who is in charge of the defensive back line is an excellent question for debate by the way.</p>
<p><br><b><span>Kofi Sarkodie</span> (6)</b> - Sarkodie helped draw a penalty after the Dynamo were down 4-1 with roughly 10 minutes to go, a move that could have energized the Dynamo to score more, or at the very least made this game sting a little bit less (too bad OBG missed from the mark). Sarkodie helped make the right side of the field the more difficult side to push through as it seemed Frisco's preferred way into our defensive third was through the center. I've criticized Sarkodie's 1v1 defending in the past, which is an area that he's really improved in by the way, but the opening penalty came from a pass from a player that Sarkodie was marking, and that pass shouldn't have ever been allowed to be made as Eddie Robinson rightly pointed out during the game.</p>
<p><br><b><span>Jermaine Taylor</span> (4.5)</b> - Taylor's play has to be something on everyone's mind week in and week out. He's simply not playing up to his usual standard. In this match, he made a couple of brilliant tackles to deny scoring opportunities, but he also committed silly fouls, one of which led to a yellow card. On top of those defensive deficiencies he was also passing particularly poorly, which led to a number of turnovers in really bad places. He needs to be aware of his partners around him, not make silly fouls, and keep his head up so he can make smarter passes. All of these things sound easy because watching it on TV makes it look like FIFA, but it isn't. I'm hoping most of these problems go away because Taylor looks to be a lock at one of the starting CB positions.</p>
<p><br><b>David Horst (6)</b> - <span>David Horst's</span> sending off showed us exactly how important he is in our defense. He has become the new Boswell as the vocal leader and as the stout defender (especially in the air) that the Dynamo need. I sort of warned about some of his physical play in the last match and that it might get him into trouble, but I was mostly thinking of a persistent infringement kind of thing that could lead to a yellow card. I definitely didn't see his tackle as a red card, which to be fair could have been a yellow and was a bit reckless.</p>
<p><br><b><span>Corey Ashe</span> (5.5)</b> - Ashe's pass to Barnes early in the game was absolutely perfect. It went behind the defender marking him and between two defenders covering Barnes/anyone in the middle. The last goal of the game came from <span>Je-Vaughn Watson</span> and Ashe really should have been covering that side/Watson. Of course, being down a man makes it difficult, and Frisco never let up on their attacks.</p>
<p><br><b><span>Ricardo Clark</span>, MotM, (6.5) </b>- Ricardo Clark was allegedly the man that brought down <span>Mauro Diaz</span> that earned FCD the penalty which led to the opening goal. After watching reviews what I saw was Clark fall down after missing a tackle and Diaz getting the slightest bit of contact and going down quite gingerly (more on this play later). Clark was one of the most active players in the Dynamo attack notching the 2<sup>nd</sup> most shots on the field for either team, and he grabbed a goal thanks to a perfectly placed Davis free kick. <br><br><b><span>Andrew Driver</span> (5.5)</b> - Driver has struggled on the right side of the field this season. He does not sync well with Sarkodie as they both make similar runs up the field and strand the other behind. Driver's game actually significantly improved when Davis was pulled and Driver switched to the left side of the pitch, but shortly into the 2<sup>nd</sup> half he was pulled so the Dynamo could have 4 defenders in the back.</p>
<p><br><b>Oscar Boniek Garcia (6)</b> - I'm going to say that this rating was the most difficult for me. On one hand, Boniek and Clark patrolled the midfield very well together. They made things happen in narrow spaces and got the ball to players in good positions. Boniek was also a victim of some nasty tackling by <span>Hendry Thomas</span> (which of course amounted only to a yellow card). But, remember earlier when I said you can't blame a goalkeeper for not stopping a penalty kick? You can totally blame someone for not scoring one. Boniek was tired, and he tried to rush the kick to waste as little of the clock as possible. Unfortunately it didn't go as planned. <br><br><b><span>Brad Davis</span> (6.5)</b> - Davis was one of the best players on the field...while he was on the field which was half the game. He defended deep when he needed to, he somehow found an outlet pass which created an opportunity, and he got an assist right after an ankle injury that required him to be subbed off before halftime. We're all hoping that his turned ankle doesn't affect him too much and that he'll be available for selection this Saturday.</p>
<p><b><br><span>Giles Barnes</span> (4)</b> - Giles Barnes had the opportunity to get the Dynamo up early in the game following a perfectly placed ball by Corey Ashe, but his shot went straight towards FCD keeper Chris Seitz. Giles Barnes had the most shots and the most shots on goal on the field, and really did everything but score - if we exempt his own goal. It seems Barnes's least favorite player in the league is now former Dynamo player Je-Vaughn Watson. Watson lost Barnes and scored which allowed Frisco to take the lead for the 2<sup>nd</sup> time in the match, and a few minutes later, Barnes scored an own goal because he had a hard time seeing around Watson. Barnes did a lot to help push the Dynamo attack, but his lapses on the defensive side of the ball which ended up costing us two goals really set his rating back in my mind.</p>
<p><br><b><span>Will Bruin</span> (5)</b> - Bruin struggled to find the ball in this one, and his best chances came in the first half. His best chance of the night was just before the 30 minute mark and he beat <span>Matt Hedges</span> on the dribble, but his shot went straight to Chris Seitz. After this, Bruin disappeared and was never seen from again other than a few passes here and there. I've noticed that the Dynamo really struggle to win games, or even draw games, when they don't get the ball to Bruin. Whether that's a function of Bruin not getting into position to get the ball, or the Dynamo opting to pass to another player is up for debate. Bruin didn't do much to increase his stock, but he didn't make many mistakes when he did have the ball (other than a few very poor passes and a shot right at the keeper).</p>
<p><b>The Subs: </b><br><b><br><span>Tony Cascio</span> (6) </b>- Cascio came on for Brad Davis just before halftime and really helped energize the right side of the field. Sarkodie began making better runs, and we defended as a whole unit better with Cascio on the right and Driver on the left. He fell off a bit after the red card, like most of the Dynamo.</p>
<p><b>A.J. Cochran (6) </b>- Cochran made his debut, and boy did he have his hands full as a rookie in his first outing with lots of time still on the clock. Still, he did mostly the right things. None of the goals scored against the Dynamo were his fault (the own goal and Ashe's poor coverage on Watson were the goals scored while he was on the field). It was a promising start for the rookie who may see more playing time this Saturday if David Horst's red card isn't rescinded.</p>
<p><b><span>Warren Creavalle</span> (-) </b>- Free Warren...didn't happen today, but it was good to see Creavalle back on the field. Creavalle came on late in the game, and didn't see too much of the ball.</p>
<p><b><br> Coach Dominic Kinnear (5)</b> - This one is tough as well. The Dynamo came out, had some bad calls and things went downhill. Actually, the Dynamo played right back into the game after the penalty kick and continued to play well and with confidence until the red card. Kinnear made the right subs throughout the game - he didn't want to risk further injuring Davis so he pulled him and put on Cascio, he put in a center back so the Dynamo could have 4 players in the back, and he put on a multi-positional player in Creavalle because Creavalle probably earned playing time and with 6 minutes of regulation time and being down by 3 goals it wasn't likely that it made a huge difference anyways. This game mattered though, and the lack of organization in the back could be due to the lack of voice there, but that's when Dom needs to be the voice from the side. I'm sure he was dropping all sorts of F-bombs and other attempts to motivate his side (that's right, an F-bomb can be motivational), but it was all for naught...and against Dallas...err Frisco.</p>
<p><b>Misc Ratings:</b></p>
<p><b>The Officials (red card!) - </b>Let's get right into it: the penalty kick that was called had very minimal contact as two Dynamo players tried to strip the ball from Mauro Diaz and then Diaz fell over the legs that were in front of him and the kick from the spot was awarded. It wasn't even a dive, he just fell awkwardly, and slowly over Ricardo Clark. The calls that Salazar made seemed to be very inconsistent. As I mentioned, Hendry Thomas was doing his best to clobber Boniek and <span>Fabian Castillo</span> even managed a horse-collar style tackle from American Football, and that only managed to earn him a talking to. Horst's challenge, while reckless, didn't deserve a sending off. A yellow card would have been enough to keep things in check. Lastly, our penalty kick: I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that goalkeepers during a penalty kick situation are only allowed to move side to side on the goal line until the ball is kicked which then you can move up. If you look closely at the replay, Seitz jumps forward before Boniek makes contact with the ball. If I'm wrong about the rules, please disregard that (or change the rules so it's right).</p>
<p>Overall, the ref didn't make calls consistently. He let a lot of bad things go, and then he (maybe) tried to compensate for it by calling the lighter challenges. The PK and red card both seemed overly harsh and not completely clear cut examples of either case. What do you think? These are just my thoughts on the challenges and my year as being a linesman for youth leagues (as a youth) hardly makes me an authority.</p>
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https://www.dynamotheory.com/2014/4/8/5592274/player-ratings-houston-dynamo-v-fc-dallasGribbs2014-04-07T09:30:01-05:002014-04-07T09:30:01-05:00Seven Stages of Grieving a Loss to Dallas
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<img alt="If Kinnear isn't happy then no one should be happy. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vuzwdhKuIzApTGZAfGjQTj-pMII=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31228363/20140329_jla_as8_300.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>If Kinnear isn't happy then no one should be happy. | Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Spor</figcaption>
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<p>It's okay you aren't alone in your grief. After losing to FC Dallas all Houston Dynamo fans feel the pain and burning, and are going through the stages of grief with you. We are here to help. </p> <h4><b>The Seven Stages of Grieving a Loss to Dallas:</b></h4>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><span>Shock and Denial- "This didn't just happen." "They...this....oh my god." "Noooooooooooooooooooooo" "HOW IN GODS NAME IS THAT A STRAIGHT RED CARD?!?!" "HOW DO YOU STILL HAVE A JOB???"</span></li>
<li><span>Pain and Guilt- "It burns, it burrrrrrrrns!" "If only I had cheered louder." "Why didn't I spike Diaz's Gatorade?" "I miss El Capitan. I miss it a lot. I want my cannon back. Are they taking good care of it?"</span></li>
<li><span>Anger and Bargaining- "Dear Lord if you make this not real I'll be good. I'll go to church. I'll stop kicking puppies and stealing candy from small children." "?!@@#!@?#>@?!@" "Please let Salazar not be real."</span></li>
<li><span>Depression, Reflection and Loneliness- "Honey, where's my Jack Daniels?" "I'm just going to sit here and eat this entire bag of pork rinds. That'll make me feel better." "I'm just going to lie here in the fetal position until it doesn't hurt anymore." </span></li>
<li><span>The Upward Turn- "It'll be okay...I think." "We have plenty of games to win this season. We can do it."</span></li>
<li><span>Reconstruction and Work Through- "We can't fight the referees too." "Salazar is awful. We knew that call would come." "Things weren't totally tragic before the red card. Yeah it was totally the red card's fault."</span></li>
<li><span>Acceptance and Hope- "It could be worse, we could be Dallas fans." "I wonder if we will host MLS Cup or travel this year."</span></li>
</ol>
https://www.dynamotheory.com/2014/4/7/5587724/seven-stages-of-grieving-a-loss-to-dallasAlicia Tolar2014-04-05T21:34:50-05:002014-04-05T21:34:50-05:00RECAP: Dynamo Lose to Dallas and Refs 4-1
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<figcaption>Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>No Texas Derby is complete with out some bad referring right? Saturday night was just that as the wheels came off and El Capitan is headed back to Dallas. </p> <p>The Texas Derby is never a friendly game. Nor should it be. What it also shouldn't be is decided by a referee but fans knew that would likely be the case when they saw that Ricardo Salazar would be the head referee for the match. A soft penalty call in the first half and an atrocious red card in the second half made the game exactly that.</p>
<p>Dynamo saw the early advantage as <span>Giles Barnes</span> had several great shots on goal that were stopped by Dallas keeper Chris Seitz. But as the first half wore on the team began to turn the ball over and several poor passes caused a shift in momentum. A soft penalty kick in the 31' gave Dallas a 1-0 lead over the Dynamo. Diaz and several Dynamo defenders were fighting in the box for the ball. Diaz tripped over Clark, going down, the referee whistled for a penalty kick. Michel stepped up to take the kick for Dallas, Hall dove to the right but didn't get out far enough and the ball went in.</p>
<p>Ten minutes later, Davis took a shot from Watson and went down clutching his ankle. Awarded a free kick for the incident Davis stepped up and took the kick sending the ball into the box which <span>Ricardo Clark</span> headed into the back of the net drawing the two teams level. But Davis would eventually be forced to leave the game before the end of the half with Tony Casico coming on in his place.</p>
<p>Things got worse in the second half.</p>
<p>The moment that Dynamo fans had been hoping wouldn't come when <span>David Horst</span> was issued a red card for a tackle on Watson. While you could argue that the tackle may have deserved a yellow card there is no way it was a straight red. The free kick was then taken by Diaz and Watson headed it in to put Dallas up 2-1. AJ Cochron came on the field for <span>Andrew Driver</span> to make his MLS debut.</p>
<p>The team lost complete composure for the next few minutes as things went from bad to worse as an own goal credited to Barnes put Dallas up yet another goal. Then just minutes later Watson had a brace as he put his former team down 4-1.</p>
<p>The Dynamo managed to not give up any more goals but they weren't able to find any more. For the second year in a row Houston lost to Dallas and El Capitan is stuck living in Frisco for another year. Poor cannon.</p>
<p>Losing to Dallas burns and it burns badly but hey Dallas had 12 men on the field.</p>
https://www.dynamotheory.com/2014/4/5/5586036/houston-dynamo-vs-fc-dallas-lose-4-1-texas-derby-2014Alicia Tolar2014-04-05T18:00:02-05:002014-04-05T18:00:02-05:00Live Gamethread: Houston Dynamo vs FC Dallas
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<figcaption>Bob Levey</figcaption>
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<p>It's Texas Derby time and El Capitan is on the line. </p> <p><b>The Basics</b></p>
<p><a href="https://www.dynamotheory.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Dynamo</a> vs <a href="https://www.bigdsoccer.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">FC Dallas</a></p>
<p>Saturday, April 5, 7:00pm CT</p>
<p>BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, TX</p>
<p><b>Broadcast Information</b></p>
<p>CSN Houston Plus (6:30 p.m. pregame) Channel 110, 710 HD</p>
<p>Yahoo Sports Radio<b> </b>1560 AM and 850 AM (Spanish).</p>
<p><b>Preview</b></p>
<p><u></u><u></u></p>
<p>Saturday is the lone edition of the Texas Derby in 2014 and the winner will retain <i>El Capitán</i>, the howitzer cannon awarded to the season series winner.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p>The Dynamo are 9-4-7 all-time in regular season games against FC Dallas and have won the season series in five of eight seasons. Houston is 6-1-3 in home games against Dallas, including a 2-1 win in June 2012 in the lone encounter at BBVA Compass Stadium. FC Dallas ended Houston's two-year hold of the cannon with a 3-2 win at Toyota Stadium last March.</p>
<p><b>Referees</b></p>
<p>REFEREE: Ricardo Salazar. AR1 (bench): Peter Manikowski; AR2 (opposite): Mike Kampmeinert; 4th: Mark Kadlecik MLS Career: 182 games; FC/gm: 26.7; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 51; pens: 63</p>
<p><b>Injury Report</b></p>
<p><b><u>Dynamo:</u></b><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><b>OUT: <span>Eric Brunner</span></b> - R ankle sprain <b> </b><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><b><u>FC Dallas:</u></b><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><b>QUESTIONABLE - <span>George John</span> </b>- R knee;<b> Andres Escobar </b>- lower back</p>
<p><b>Head To Head</b></p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span>ALL TIME (20 meetings) Dynamo 9 wins, 30 goals...FC Dallas 4 wins, 22 goals, 7 ties</span></li>
<li><span>AT HOUSTON Dynamo 6 wins, 17 goals...FC Dallas 1 win, 12 goals... 3 ties</span></li>
<li><span>This is the only match between the two teams this season.</span></li>
</ul>
https://www.dynamotheory.com/2014/4/5/5585018/live-gamethread-houston-dynamo-vs-fc-dallasAlicia Tolar2014-04-05T16:24:25-05:002014-04-05T16:24:25-05:00El Capitan<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="/rss/stream/5333087">El&nbsp;Capitan</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Home. Hopefully for good.</p></p></div>
https://www.dynamotheory.com/2014/4/5/5585630/el-capitanAlicia Tolar2014-04-05T13:01:50-05:002014-04-05T13:01:50-05:00There Is Only One Team In Texas<iframe width="560" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IwXyIIgB9Jc?rel=0" height="315" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>There is only one team in Texas.</p></p></div>
https://www.dynamotheory.com/2014/4/5/5585118/there-is-only-one-team-in-texasAlicia Tolar2014-04-05T11:00:02-05:002014-04-05T11:00:02-05:00Questions w/ Brian Wachholz of Big D Soccer
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<img alt="Defensive Midfielder, Ricardo Clark, will be key to slowing down Mauro Rios and FC Dallas in this year's Texas Derby in BBVA Compass Stadium" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KXJNpNYdWnkRPcGIQiWAi-OAByk=/0x130:2801x1997/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31185281/20130319_kkt_an4_333.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Defensive Midfielder, Ricardo Clark, will be key to slowing down Mauro Rios and FC Dallas in this year's Texas Derby in BBVA Compass Stadium | Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>This week is the Texas Derby, which sees the two Major League Soccer clubs in Texas, FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo, square off in what is sure to be a physical and intense affair. Ahead of the match, I had the opportunity to sit down with Brian Wachholz of Big D Soccer to try and get some answers about what the Dynamo are up against.</p> <p><b>Dynamo Theory: FC Dallas are once again riding a hot streak into the match against the Dynamo early in the season. What has keyed the FCD success?</b></p>
<blockquote>
<div style="font-size: 13px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Brian Wachholz: FC Dallas is finally having all the right pieces click into place at the same time. Unlike last season, FCD is already demonstrating that they have the depth to overcome injury and suspension to the best XI. The team became stagnant under Schellas Hyndman although he took FCD to the 2010 MLS Cup Final; it became obvious as the slump progressed that a new coach was needed to turn things around. Oscar Pareja has come in and immediately shifted morale by playing to his system and making the players accountable. He's waived those that don't fit into the plan. He's loaning out the young guys who aren't ready for MLS in 2014. Those left on the roster are all expected to contribute when called upon. This is vastly different compared to years past, where it felt like roster slots 20-30 were just sitting in limbo.<br><br>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Bottom line: OP is using the full roster, and those players are performing.</div>
</blockquote>
<p><b><br><br>DT: BBVA Compass Stadium has proven to be one of the best, if not the best, home field advantages in Major League Soccer. What does FCD have to do to negate that advantage?</b></p>
<blockquote>
<div style="font-size: 13px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">BW: FC Dallas needs to use their speed to keep passing lanes open and the ball flowing. The game could easily reduce down to a midfield knife fight if the ball doesn't keep moving back and forth. FCD needs to prevent silly turnovers in dangerous places and spark a Houston counter-attack. This is very achievable, but you never know what may happen on gameday. Brad Davis is always a threat to FC Dallas. The boys can't give up unnecessary set piece opportunities. Overall, it's going to take some real discipline in the midfield and attacking third for FCD to be successful.</div>
</blockquote>
<p><br><b>DT: JeVaughn Watson is out for the match in Houston due to a red card he received in FC Dallas' last match against San Jose Earthquakes. How does FC Dallas' game plan change without Watson?</b></p>
<blockquote>
<div style="font-size: 13px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">BW: We found out late in the week that JeVaughn's red card has been rescinded which is great news for FCD. Watson was inconsistent last season with Dallas, but he was asked to play all over the field, constantly filling in for someone else or late game sub. Under Pareja's leadership, Watson has been deployed on the flank, and he seems to be excelling at that job so far. His speed and size make him a threat anytime he rushes forward on or off the ball. For FCD fans, JeVaughn is a welcome upgrade from Jackson on the wing. The two have differing styles, but Watson's even temper and size compared to the Brazilian have nicely balanced out what Castillo does on the other side of the pitch. I expect we'll see Watson on Saturday and he'll continue to be an important cog in Dallas' offensive machine.</div>
</blockquote>
<p><br><b>DT: Ex-Houston Dynamo Adam Moffat has landed with FC Dallas. He was a fan favorite for his 35 yard Adam Bombs. How is he fitting in with FC Dallas?</b></p>
<blockquote>
<div style="font-size: 13px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">BW: I can't say that I've seen enough to make a determination yet. Dallas fans are excited to have someone of his caliber on the team, and we're well aware of what the losing side of the Adam Bomb looks like. He's barely played 90 minutes for the North Texans, but in that time he looked solid. I think long term, Moffat is going to become an ironman in the middle of the field alongside Hendry Thomas. I read that the move from Houston to Seattle and then quickly on to Dallas came as a bit of a surprise to him. He seems the type of player who is looking to set down roots, so I hope that he can provide some red Adam Bombs for many years to come.</div>
</blockquote>
<p><br><b>DT: Last but not least, what do the Dynamo need to do to contain Mauro Diaz?</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p><b></b><span>BW: Handcuffs? Maybe some sort of rocket powered net cannon? Mauro Diaz has been a breath of fresh air since David Ferreira started fading, struggling to return to top form after a broken ankle. Mauro has the youth, the speed, the vision, and the toughness to withstand MLS. At least so far. Lucky for FCD, he slowly acclimated to MLS by signing mid-season last year. This gave him the cushion to prepare to fly out of the gates this spring. Dallas is riding with the confidence right now that stopping Diaz won't stop the team. Short of a herd of chihuahuas to chomp at his ankles, I think your best bet to stop Diaz is to stick one or two defenders on him all game, 1v1. Maintain absolute high pressure on him. Mauro is going to make opponents pay for every yard of space they grant him.</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p><br> For Brian's questions for me and more, head over to our friendly rivals <a href="http://bigdsoccer.com" target="_blank">Big D Soccer</a>, but please remember you represent the Orange.</p>
https://www.dynamotheory.com/2014/4/5/5584752/texas-derby-q-a-with-brian-wachholz-of-big-d-soccerFuzion2014-04-04T09:30:03-05:002014-04-04T09:30:03-05:00What will bring El Capitan back to Houston?
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<img alt="Will Bruin's foot will be in high demand at Saturday's game" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fMhIXy77esx587Vmn1GWt9YiqIU=/0x58:4000x2725/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31057593/20130615_kkt_an4_035.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Will Bruin's foot will be in high demand at Saturday's game | Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The rivalry between Houston Dynamo and F.C. Dallas will be settled in the midfield.</p> <p></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Texas Derby Preview</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The time to face the <a href="https://www.dynamotheory.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Dynamo</a>’s old nemesis draws near. Saturday, at 7:00pm, the Dynamo will face off against F.C. Dallas at BBVA Compass Stadium.</p>
<p style="tab-stops: 401.5pt;" class="MsoNormal">This match is important for a number of reasons and is the source of much anticipation. The rivalry between the two teams stretches back a number of years. Matches between them used to be frequent, but now that the Houston Dynamo occupy the eastern conference, they only play F.C. Dallas once or twice a year. This makes the fight for El Capitan even more dynamic.</p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal">El Capitan is an imposing Civil war-era Howitzer. Each year, F.C. Dallas and the Houston Dynamo vie for the rights to this coveted piece of history. Whichever team is victorious takes the cannon home with them. Last year, the Dynamo had the pleasure of firing El Capitan in BBVA Compass Stadium. Local celebrities participated in a pre-game ritual of lighting the cannon. Perhaps El Capitan’s roar instilled in the team the confidence needed to host the longest unbeaten home streak in MLS! Unfortunately, El Capitan returned to Dallas following our defeat last year to the team. Now is the time to bring El Capitan home!</p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span>The fate of this game will come down to the midfield.</span></b></p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal">Dallas doesn’t intend to make it easy for Houston. Midfielder Mauro Diaz is the Etihad Airways Player of the Month for March. Diaz has scored two goals in four games this season. The speed and precision that got Diaz nominated will play a crucial role in Saturday’s game. Let us hope that <span>Will Bruin</span>, our own PotM nominee, will bring the finesse he displayed in his first two games of the season.</p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal">F.C. Dallas is also sporting a Dallas Homegrown name on its roster. <span>Victor Ulloa</span> played 87 minutes as a defensive midfielder against <a href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Portland Timbers</a>. During that time, he <span>"<a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2014-03-29-DAL-v-POR/chalkboard"><span>"completed 45 of 50 passes attempted in the match"</span></a>. </span></p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal">Injuries and red cards for former Dynamo will also make an impact on the outcome of the game. <span></span><span>Adam Moffat</span> will be absent from the Texas Derby. Moffat, traded from Seattle to <a href="https://www.bigdsoccer.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">FC Dallas</a> in December, is still nursing an injury. Although it appeared that <span><span>Je-Vaughn</span></span> Watson would be serving a red card during the Derby for his actions during the match against the Timbers, the red card was rescinded and he will be available for play.</p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span>On the Houston Dynamo side, the lingering question of our midfield remains.</span></b></p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal">Will Tony Cascio be in the starting lineup? The dynamic midfielder picked up an injury that has been described as minor in the opening game of the season. Although Cascio was no longer on the injury list during the game against Vancouver, <span>Andrew Driver</span> started in his place. Driver has made several shots on goal this year, but has yet to notch a goal. Will we see Cascio’s return Saturday?</p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal">Oscar Boniek Garcia’s game play is crucial. For the first time in quite a while, Garcia did not play the full 90 minutes of the game against Vancouver. He was subbed off during the second half in a late push for offensive muscle. Garcia has netted one goal this season, knocking one home against New England.</p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span>On the positive side</span></b></p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal">Our captain, <span>Brad Davis</span>, will be on two days rest from the USMNT match against Mexico. Barring any additional resting, we should see Davis on the field Saturday.</p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal">In the defensive realm, <span>David Horst</span> has been a veritable godsend to our defensive line since <span>Bobby Boswell</span> was traded. Both his key slide tackles and his vertical game will be an asset on Saturday. Horst has had two headers nearly score off of a corner kick this year. It is only a matter of time before Davis’ left foot sends a well-placed ball his way for a goal.</p>
<p style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;" class="MsoNormal">The fate of El Capitan rests on the results of the Texas Derby. With any luck, we will soon be hearing the resounding roar of the Howitzer again at BBVA Compass Stadium.</p>
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https://www.dynamotheory.com/2014/4/4/5575966/houston-dynamo-vs-fc-dallas-texas-derby-2014Dynomaam