FC Dallas: The dark horse that can beat the heat
There are plenty of teams eyeing up a deep run in the MLS is Back Tournament. One of which is FC Dallas, who are a strong dark horse to beat the heat.
When the MLS is Back Tournament commences next month, keep an eye out for FC Dallas. They are not always the most fancied team to compete at the elite end of Major League Soccer, but plenty is pointing in the right direction for Luchi Gonzalez’s side.
When Extratime host Andrew Wiebe agrees. He went so far as to describe FC Dallas as a dark horse in the competition:
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"“What they showed against Seattle in the playoffs last year, so they have little inkling of belief. They have the young legs and a mixture. They Reno Ziegler and Hollingshead and some others that are going to sit back and say ‘Okay, we understand how to manage ourselves through the tournament’. And then I look at what they could be and the options they have, especially if [Franco] Jara comes in and is able to play… Fafa, Pomykal, Mosquera, Michael Barrios.”"
Weibe was cut off at that point, but his argument was clear. FC Dallas will go far in MLS is Back. Then Greg Seltzer lined out on mlssoccer.com the features Dallas will employ to take the MLS tournament trophy a deep roster that won’t mind the heat. They have a strong starting backline, a versatile midfield, and fast attackers featuring the aforementioned new center-forward, Franco Jara.
The heat is an intriguing point to mention. It will be an obstacle for every team. But it is why hot-weather squads with endurance in that weather have an advantage. Teams will get five substitutes per match as introduced across world football to help deal with injuries, but FC Dallas will be much better prepared than Vancouver, for example.
Moreover, Before the pandemic suspended play, FC Dallas accumulated four points across two games. They showed improvement in crucial areas. Last season, the squad barely sneaked into the playoffs, reaching seventh in the Western Conference with 48 points. This year, they are yet to lose.
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With leading attacking players who can work in the heat, FC Dallas may just burn through opponent defenses to take the MLS is Back Tournament. It won’t be easy. It’s a small scouting sample for 2020 to make game preparation easier. But the strong ability built on speed and possession will make Dallas dangerous.