There is reason to believe! Do you believe?!
Baby steps!!
Yes, our club is in last place. However, we have to look at where they have been this season and what they have had to overcome, to truly understand that we have still yet to see the best that our club has to offer. With 15 matches remaining we are finally starting to see our injured players getting back out there. We are starting to see them all developing that rhythm again. So although some of you want to focus on the fact that Dallas has not won a match since April 14th, and rightfully, this does suck. I’m choosing to look at how we are starting to come together and that we have not lost a match in our last 3. Not to mention we have only given up 1 goal in the last three matches.
This was our starting 11 on opening day:
FC Dallas (4-5-1): Hartman; Benitez, Ihemelu, Pertuz, Loyd; Shea, Hernandez, Jacobson, Villar, Castillo; Perez.
Our only real miss here was: MF David Ferreira
Our starting 11 last night:
FC Dallas (4-5-1): Hartman; Loyd, Hedges, Pertuz, Rodriguez; Jackson, Jacobson, Ferreira, Shea, Hernandez; Castillo.
Key Injuries: MF Bobby Warshaw (R foot fracture); DF Ugo Ihemelu (concussion symptoms); DF Alex Lee (lower abdominal strain); DF Jair Benitez (R knee contusion); DF George John (concussion symptoms); FW Blas Perez (R foot contusion)
Injuries and suspensions have been the downfall of us this season. However, as you are starting to see now. Once our strongest 11 are back on the pitch. There is not any club in MLS we cannot beat. So with 30 points still left on the table for us to grab…let’s look at what we have to do.
Western Conference
| # | Club | PTS | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | Last 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose Earthquakes | 37 | 19 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 24 | 12 | 5-1-2 | 6-3-2 | W-W-W-L-T |
| 2 | Real Salt Lake | 36 | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 31 | 21 | 10 | 7-3-1 | 4-3-2 | L-L-L-T-W |
| 3 | Seattle Sounders FC | 30 | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 6-3-1 | 2-2-5 | T-L-T-T-W |
| 4 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 30 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 5-1-3 | 3-3-3 | W-T-L-W-T |
| 5 | LA Galaxy | 23 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 28 | 29 | -1 | 4-5-1 | 3-5-1 | W-W-L-L-W |
| 6 | Colorado Rapids | 22 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 25 | 24 | 1 | 5-3-1 | 2-7-0 | L-L-W-L-L |
| 7 | Chivas USA | 20 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 2-6-2 | 3-1-3 | T-L-W-T-T |
| 8 | Portland Timbers | 19 | 17 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 24 | -8 | 5-2-2 | 0-6-2 | L-W-L-W-L |
| 9 | FC Dallas | 16 | 19 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 27 | -10 | 3-2-6 | 0-7-1 | L-L-T-T-T |
So we definitely need to start cheering against LA, Chivas, Portland, and Colorado. This month we still have Colorado, LA, and Portland. Claiming results in those matches are now extremely crucial. Moving into August we will face Portland, Colorado, and LA again. We will also see Vancouver in August and September. So needless to say the teams we need to lose…are ON OUR SCHEDULE!
You better believe that these three straight draws that we just accomplished are the building blocks of the great run we are about to make.
It all starts vs. Colorado next Saturday. BE LOUD! BE PROUD! BE DALLAS!
Matches Left to Play
| 7/14 | 8:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonTXA 21 |
Colorado | FC Dallas | Dick’s Sporting Goods Park | ||
| 7/18 | 10:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonNBC Sports |
San Jose | FC Dallas | Buck Shaw Stadium | ||
| 7/21 | 8:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonTXA 21 |
FC Dallas | Portland | FC Dallas Stadium | ||
| 7/28 | 7:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonNBC Sports |
FC Dallas | Los Angeles | FC Dallas Stadium |
| 8/05 | 6:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonNBC Sports |
Portland | FC Dallas | JELD-WEN Field | ||
| 8/11 | 8:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonTXA 21 |
FC Dallas | Colorado | FC Dallas Stadium | ||
| 8/15 | 9:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonFSSW+ |
Vancouver | FC Dallas | BC Place | ||
| 8/18 | 8:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonFSSW |
Real Salt Lake | FC Dallas | Rio Tinto Stadium | ||
| 8/26 | 6:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonNBC Sports |
Los Angeles | FC Dallas | The Home Depot Center |
| 9/02 | 6:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonFSSW+ |
FC Dallas | Seattle | FC Dallas Stadium | ||
| 9/15 | 7:30PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonTXA 21 |
FC Dallas | Vancouver | FC Dallas Stadium | ||
| 9/29 | 9:30PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonTXA 21 |
San Jose | FC Dallas | Buck Shaw Stadium |
| 10/07 | 6:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonFSSW+ |
Chivas USA | FC Dallas | The Home Depot Center | ||
| 10/21 | 8:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonESPN |
Seattle | FC Dallas | CenturyLink Field | ||
| 10/28 | 6:00PM CDT MLS Regular SeasonFSSW+Galavision |
FC Dallas | Chivas USA | FC Dallas Stadium |
