FC Dallas and North Texas SC roster rankings: Sept. 14, 2020

Welcome back to our little power ranking of every player under a professional contract with both FC Dallas and North Texas SC.

Every couple of weeks Buzz and I take a look at who’s performing, who’s out of favor, and who is being talked about by fans and media alike, all in a completely unscientific way!

It hurt a great deal to delete Reggie Cannon and Kobra from the list after both left the club. Lamar Batista is the other player to depart as he agreed to a mutual termination with North Texas SC.

Hedges 248
Matt Hedges poses with a jersey commemorating his record breaking 248th game for FC Dallas. Marco Ferruzzi (left) and Andre Zanotta join him. (Courtesy FC Dallas)

Starting XI:

1 (-)Matt Hedges
High: 1 | Low: 7
The FC Dallas back line looked lost without Hedges while he underwent concussion protocol, and what a fantastic return against Houston. – Dan
2 (+3)Thiago Santos
High: 1 | Low: 5
Continues to be the rock holding the midfield together.  Not a game breaking dribbler or passer but kills almost everything through the middle. Looked good in the single-pivot. – Buzz
3 (+18)Andres Ricaurte
High: 3 | Low: 21
An assist in his debut, a fantastic goal in his first start, and matched Thiago Santos’ number of defensive actions against Houston to demonstrate his defensive qualities. That’s without even talking about his elevated football intelligence. – Dan

Er Meh Gerd!  – Buzz
4 (+2)Reto Ziegler
High: 2 | Low: 13
The FCD tortoise, slow and steady wins the race.  Amazing positioning and game reading, he’s a fantastic teaching example for young center backs. – Buzz
5 (-1)Michael Barrios
High: 2 | Low: 5
Mikey may have finally got an assist in 2020 – albeit just an overlap pass for a hockey assist – but the once decisive player just looks lost in his choices. – Dan
6 (+6)Franco Jara
High: 6 | Low: 18
Love everything on the field but the pace.  As FCD is starting to possess the ball higher he’s playing more like a striker. Sill false-9 like, but higher and better.  Good signs here. – Buzz
7 (+2)Ryan Hollingshead
High: 6 | Low: 12
Despite an awful error against MNUFC, Ho’head has been dependable in several different roles of late, but we can all breathe easier with him back on the left. – Dan
8 (+2)Bryan Acosta
High: 7 | Low: 15
No one is doing anything to make me believe he won’t walk back into the lineup. Here’s hoping he can string together a complete game or two. – Buzz
9 (+2)Bressan
High: 9 | Low: 17
We finally got to see the Copa Libertadores winner we heard about. The imprint of the ball from SKC is probably still embedded in his ribs as he put in a show with some last ditch defending. – Dan
10 (+10)Bryan Reynolds
High: 10 | Low: 20
What a performance, you can see what we’ve been talking about since he was 15 and why we’ve been saying he was Reggie’s replacement for a year and a half now. – Buzz
11 (-8)Jimmy Maurer
High: 3 | Low: 21
Maurer is expected to return for the Colorado game, but will he start or even be in the 20-man roster? – Dan
Kyle Zobeck, 2020. (Courtesy FC Dallas)

In The Mix:

12 (+4)Fafa Picault
High: 8 | Low: 16
Can’t wait for Sheriff Fafa Picaultrane to get back at it as he’s the only true – and effective – winger on the roster right now.  – Buzz
13 (-)Ricardo Pepi
High: 9 | Low: 17
El Tren recorded his second goal since we last ranked, and really adapted well to being played out of position on the left wing.  – Dan
14 (-4)Jesus Ferreira
High: 10 | Low: 15
Last three games: start, sub, DNP… that’s the wrong progression. Luchi really needs to figure out where to play Ferreira.  With Ricaurte and Jara in town – and Picault’s return imminent – Ferreira’s PT may be drying up fast.  – Buzz
15 (+12)Kyle Zobeck
High: 15 | Low: 27
When we started ranking FCD players, Zobeck’s comment was often that he was as much a GK coach as a part of the roster. There may be MLS-level holes in his game but a few crucial saves maintained points against Houston and SKC. – Dan
16 (-1)Johnny Nelson
High: 15 | Low: 22
An outstanding defensive performance in each game he played. That’s to be expected of a defensive outside back. But Luchi-Ball needs attacking backs and we expected Nelson to sit when Reynolds got the right back spot.  – Buzz
17 (+1)Brandon Servania
High: 14 | Low: 18
We talked about Brandon maybe pushing past Acosta in the depth chart. Nothing since we last ranked the players has backed that notion. – Dan
18 (+1)Tanner Tessmann
High: 6 | Low: 19
He got the start in the last one but like Servania hasn’t locked anything down. Not playing poorly, but not making Acosta sweat either. – Buzz
19  (-2)Callum Montgomery
High: 12 | Low: 19
Montgomery returned from a hamstring injury for a 90-minute outing in a 2-1 loss to El Paso. – Dan
20 (+8)Dante Sealy
High: 20 | Low: 28
Fantastic MLS debut against Minnesota United.  Late game, chasing a tie, up a man, perfect circumstances, no pressure. Lots of talent, it will be some time before he’s a contributor.  – Buzz
Dante Sealy, 2020. (Courtesy FC Dallas)

Second Team:

21 (+2)Thomas Roberts
High: 21 | Low: 29
He’s been finding his form with NTX and Buzz mentioned on the pod that he’s got a personal trainer which says a lot about his career aspirations. – Dan
22 (-)Phelipe Megiolaro
High: 22 | Low: 22
Gotta start him somewhere on this list. Out of Quarantine on September 15th. – Buzz
23 (+1)Edwin Cerrillo
High: 23 | Low: 37
A sub appearance against Houston but Cerrillo really needs regular minutes. – Dan
24 (+7)Santiago Mosquera
High: 24 | Low: 31
Scored against MNUFC and got the start vs Houston. But didn’t really do anything with it.  He’s likely going to sit for Picault. Not earning that DP money. – Buzz
25 (-23)Paxton Pomykal
High: 2 | Low: 25
The hip surgery is done and so is Paxton’s 2020 season. He’ll glide down the list but his name is still one of the more talked about in Frisco. – Dan
26 (-1)Ema Twumasi
High: 20 | Low: 26
9 games, 9 starts for Austin Bold. 2 assists (2nd on team) and 23 chances created (leads Bold). Only 37 wins out of 104 duels is concerning though. – Buzz
27 (+3)Ronaldo Damus
High: 27 | Low: 38
It hasn’t been the same goal-laden season, with Damus getting his third from a penalty this weekend, but the Ghanaian has been visibly improving. – Dan
28 (+5)Arturo Rodriguez
High: 22 | Low: 33
Went immediately into the lineup up on his return from Utah and immediately dominated the game. 88% passing, 4 key passes, and won 4 of 9 duels.   – Buzz
29 (-)Nkosi Burgess
High: 26 | Low: 33
Nkosi made the bench for the first time. You’ve got to think with some NTX time he may have had a shot at starting in Minnesota. – Dan
30 (+5)Gibran Rayo
High: 30 | Low: 42
We’re starting to see some progression here, influencing the game. He might have played himself into the starting “free-8” role.  – Buzz
31 (+3)Brecc Evans
High: 30 | Low: 36
It’s not classic Brecc Evans of last year just yet, but he’s getting fitter and working any rust off. – Dan
32 (-6)Francis Atuahene
High: 18 | Low: 32
Only 6 starts in 11 games. 2 goals but only 1 key pass this season. Now he’s injured. He’s played some as a forward of late but can’t lock down a starting spot. – Buzz
Imanol Almaguer of North Texas SC plays for FC Dallas in a scrimmage against OKC Energy, January 29, 2020.

In Reserve:

33 (-)Nicky Hernandez
High: 33 | Low: 33
New signing from SMU, started with very little time to train with the team. Unlucky not to score a third for North Texas. – Dan
34 (+4)Alisson
High: 34 | Low: 43
I don’t think he’s an MLS talent, but he’s a rock for North Texas in midfield. They really need his steel and grit in the middle. Just ok as a center back. – Buzz
35 (+6)Imanol Almaguer
High: 35 | Low: 44
Steady as ever at right back or in the midfield. That red card seems to have just been a blip. – Dan
36 (+7)Carlos Avilez
High: 34 | Low: 43
The loss of the FC Dallas contract has to be a blow, but he’s responded and has retaken the #1 job with North Texas it seems. – Buzz
37 (-1)David Rodriguez
High: 33 | Low: 39
D-Rod isn’t featuring as much as you’d like. The last 15 mins against Orlando and was brought on deep in stoppage time against Tucson. – Dan
38 (+1)Oscar Romero
High: 38 | Low: 46
Has become a reliable, useful, and productive contributor for North Texas as an attacking sub or spot starter. – Buzz
39 (-2)Eddie Munjoma
High: 35 | Low: 39
Should benefit from Cannon’s departure, even if it’s just being the second choice RB in training, but he desperately needs minutes with NTX that USL protocols are preventing. – Dan
40 (+5)Derek Waldeck
High: 39 | Low: 45
Continues to get all the starts at left back due to Covid (Munjoma can’t come down). But with Kevin Bonilla re-joining the team that might end as Bonilla or Almaguer can both play left back. – Buzz
41 (-9)Luis Zamudio
High: 32 | Low: 42
Zamudio seems to have lost the start now that Avilez is solely a North Texas SC player. – Dan
42 (-)Alex Bruce
High: 30 | Low: 42
He’s coming off an injury that he’s mostly been playing through. But he’s not a starter at this stage and has a fight to get a spot with A-Rod back further cementing Damus as the 9.  – Buzz
43 (+1)Juan Manuel Alvarez
High: 26 | Low: 44
Missed both NTX games through injury. – Dan
44 (+2)Philip Ponder
High: 43 | Low: 46
Even when NTX was struggling to get quality center back play he didn’t get a lot of minutes. I had higher hopes when he signed.  – Buzz 
45 (+2)Pedrinho
High: 44 | Low: 47
A single minute in Orlando, and didn’t even make the bench in Tucson. It seems like the man with 90 names won’t be getting 90 minutes any time soon. – Dan
46 (+2)Pablo Aranguiz
High: 23 | Low: 48
In Chile. Staying in Chile. Not coming back. Staying on the bottom. – Buzz

Andres Ricaurte takes the W with a massive 18 place jump after grabbing a debut assist and scoring a worldie in his first start.

Bryan Reynolds and Kyle Zobeck also make double-digit leaps. Reynolds finally got to start at right back with some fans – I don’t necessarily agree with – claiming he looks better than Reggie. GOATbeck lived up to his name in part with a couple of big stops while covering for Jimmy Maurer.

At the other end, it’s Paxton Pomykal taking the biggest drop after hip surgery rules him out for the season. It’s only 23 places as his name is still talked up.

Two keepers follow him, albeit not closely. Luis Zamudio slides nine spots as Carlos Avilez seemingly locks down the NTX starting job. Maurer is down eight after missing time with a calf injury.

5 Comments

  1. You rate Santos far higher than I would. He is constantly loosing the ball. In fact he has made so many bad passes that in the Houston match I could tell that he was not trying to play as many through balls/penetrating passes and instead played the easy and safe pass(which in his case is a good thing). Of course having Ricaurte on the pitch probably had something to do with that. He also gets burned a lot. Commits when he should contain/contains when he should commit

    1. I’ve been quick to criticize Santos too, but he also does so much for the team. He is just inconsistent with his risk taking, and that means that he sometimes gives the ball away in dangerous areas when FCD is sitting in a low block.

  2. Barrios is hanging onto his spot by a thread IMO. That said, I think the addition of Ricuarte could be just what the doctor ordered to get Barrios back on track and productive.

  3. Just curious, since the ratings are dependent on which team a player is signed to, how would you compare Brecc Evans and Callum Montgomery for future LCB?

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