FC Dallas & North Texas SC Roster Rankings – April/May 2023

We’re back, albeit a little late after I got back from the UK, with our ever-unscientific roster rankings. Power rankings are cool, so here’s a power ranking of all 44 contracted professionals playing for FC Dallas and North Texas SC.

We take into account who is playing well, who is playing at all, the feeling of the fans, and whose names are being talked about by us and our colleagues in the media.

Starting XI

RankTrendingComments
1Jesus Ferreira
FCD (F)
High: 1Low: 1— 0Jesus has two of FCD’s five goals since the last ranking, and the USMNT’s equalizer against Mexico. He’s head and shoulders above the rest of the team right now. – Dan
2Alan Velasco
FCD (F)
High: 2Low: 3— 0He missed about a month with injury but his absence only made it clear how important he is thus raising his stock instead of lowering it. – Buzz
3Maarten Paes
FCD (G)
High: 3Low: 6▲ 3The two clean sheets on the road in April don’t even do Paes’ performances justice. – Dan
4Paxton Pomykal
FCD (M)
High: 4Low: 5— 0Of the midfielders on this team, Pomykal is in the best form but needs to improve in the final third and get on the score sheet more. – Buzz
5Nkosi Tafari
FCD (D)
High: 5Low: 9— 0It’s Kos’ defense when he’s fit. – Dan
6Paul Arriola
FCD (F)
High: 2Low: 6▼ 3Paul has been in a funk all year, was struggling with a hamstring, and appears to have injured his groin. The season is trending in the wrong direction. – Buzz
7Marco Farfan
FCD (D)
High: 7Low: 7— 0Farfan now has a legitimate backup, hopefully, he can get the rest he needs and pick back up that mid-2022 form. – Dan
8Jose Martínez
FCD (D)
High: 8Low: 9▲ 1Started five of the last six, grabbed a goal, and hasn’t been a disaster. – Dan
9Sebastien Ibeagha
FCD (D)
High: 9Low: 15▲ 2Ibby is holding his own at right center back, his recovery speed is a big help. If I gotta pick two it’s going to be Ibby with Tafari. – Buzz
10Geovane Jesus
FCD (D)
High: 10Low: 13▲ 3As much as Geovane is impressing going forward notching two assists, that NYCFC game was not pretty. – Dan
11Tsiki Ntsabeleng
FCD (M)
High: 10Low: 11▼ 1Tsiki just isn’t a threat to start and is pretty much a pure bench role at this point but he always brings the fire. – Buzz

Tsiki Ntsabeleng, Bernard Kamungo, and Jesus Ferreira celebrate Kaumngo's game-winning goal against RSL, April 15, 2023. (Courtesy FC Dallas)
Tsiki Ntsabeleng, Bernard Kamungo, and Jesus Ferreira celebrate Kaumngo’s game-winning goal against RSL, April 15, 2023. (Courtesy FC Dallas)

In The Mix

RankTrendingComments
12Sebastian Lletget
FCD (M)
High: 4Low: 14▲ 2A slight improvement on what has been a rough start to the season. A certain someone’s tour announcement has brought Lletget some unwanted attention again. – Dan
13Jesus Jimenez
FCD (F)
High: 13Low: 15▲ 2JJ is sometimes a starter in the 4-4-2 and when he subs in it’s usually for a shape change too. He may have to solo 9 when Ferreira is called up. – Buzz
14Facundo Quignon
FCD (M)
High: 14Low: 17▲ 2Facu has pulled slightly ahead of Cerrillo in Coach’s eyes, crucially coming off the bench even when not starting, unlike Edwin. Got the goal against Portland too. – Dan
15Edwin Cerrillo
FCD (M)
High: 8Low: 15▼ 7He’d be my full-time starter at 6 but for Coach Nico Edwin sure isn’t. Cerrillo seems to have lost the starting gig but had a pretty strong game vs Minnesota. – Buzz
16Ema Twumasi
FCD (D)
High: 11Low: 16▼ 4Since our last ranking, Ema has served his red card suspension and bumped down to backup. – Dan
17Sam Junqua
FCD (D)
High: 17Low: 20▲ 3Junqua proved himself capable in his start and is now part of the rotation. He needs to get more starts to reduce the load on Farfan. – Buzz
18Bernard Kamungo
FCD (F)
High: 18Low: 24▲ 6Finally got his first FCD minutes of 2023, and the winner against RSL. Bernie hasn’t been in an NTX squad since. Can he become the go-to guy in the last 20 mins when chasing a goal? – Dan
19Nolan Norris
FCD (D)
High: 18Low: 23▼ 1Norris remains 4th CB but hasn’t broken into MLS play. FCD has been using him as a mid of late to stretch his abilities. NTX is far better when he’s at CB than without. – Buzz
20Jose Mulato
FCD (F)
High: 17Low: 20▼ 3Only made one bench for FCD since the last ranking. Started all seven NTX games since, with two goals and two assists, so he’s not giving up. – Dan

Herbert Endeley (red hat)
Herbert Endeley (red hat) in training with FC Dallas in Spain, 2023. (Courtesy FC Dallas)

Second Team

RankTrendingComments
21Jimmy Maurer
FCD (G)
High: 21Low: 22▲ 1Not getting PT but remains a leader and great locker room presence as the adult in the room. – Buzz
22Antonio Carrera
FCD (G)
High: 22Low: 24▲ 1The NTX starter is now off to the U20 World Cup. – Dan
23Jader Obrian
FCD (F)
High: 18Low: 23▼ 2Obrian, despite many fans’ wishes, continues to be the #3 wing but isn’t always dialed into the rest of the team. – Buzz
24Justin Che
FCD (D)
High: 12Low: 24▼ 5Only played sporadically for Hoffenheim’s second team since the injury, but is off to the U20 World Cup. – Dan
25Hope Avayevu
NTX (F)
High: 25Low: 31▲ 3Hope is North Texas SC’s best player this year and for my money it’s not close. The “Season of Hope” continues. – Buzz
26Isaiah Parker
FCD (D)
High: 22Low: 26▼ 1Parker got his loan to San Antonio, starting three of four. He’s been subbed off at halftime twice and limped off in the last game before the break, so it’s not all sunshine and roses. – Dan
27Collin Smith
FCD (D)
High: 26Low: 27▼ 1Smith has started all but one game since arriving in Birmingham. 10 games, 797 minutes. The loan is working as intended. – Buzz
28Herbert Endeley
FCD (D/F)
High: 28Low: 34▲ 6Consistently starting, but the right back experiment doesn’t seem to be sticking as Endeley plays more on the wing. – Dan
29Amet Korça
FCD (D)
High: 29Low: 31▲ 2North Texas is much better when he’s in. But just 9 minutes for FCD. Slow improvement but he’s not really in the CB convo yet. – Buzz
30Tyshawn Rose
NTX (D)
High: 30Low: 36▲ 6Regular starter, and a three-assist game against St. Louis 2 highlights Rose’s danger even from fullback. – Dan
31André Costa
NTX (M)
High: 27Low: 31▼ 4NTXSC’s captain but he’s not taking a step forward. So far he’s not kicking that MLS door open. – Buzz
32Carl Sainté
NTX (M)
High: 30Low: 32▼ 2Playing consistent minutes, but not playing consistently well. – Dan

North Texas SC Acquires Midfielder Theo Henrique from América Futebol Clube MG
North Texas SC Acquires Midfielder Theo Henrique from América Futebol Clube MG. (Courtesy North Texas SC)

In Reserve

RankTrendingComments
33Alejandro Urzua
NTX (M)
High: 29Low: 33▼ 4Urzua seems to be growing vertically even faster than he’s improving. Still 17 and working as a 6 as much as an 8. – Buzz
34Henri
NTX (D)
High: 32Low: 34▼ 2The Brazilian has put in 90 minutes every game aside from a sub appearance in Austin. – Dan
35Dante Sealy
FCD (F)
High: 25Low: 35— 0The loan seems to be flaming out at the end with just 2 appearences since March 10: 1 sub, 1 start. He was even left out of the squad once recently. Still only 1 goal and 1 assist this year for PSV Jong. Sealy returns to Dallas at the end of June. – Buzz
36Diego Garcia
NTX (M)
High: 33Low: 36▼ 3Only five minutes since the last ranking up until a start against St. Louis going 81 minutes. – Dan
37Theo Ferreira
NTX (M)
High: 37Low: 42▲ 5Theo has shown some spark and changed his game moniker to “Theo Ferreira” but he’s in and out of the lineup. – Buzz
38Pablo Torre
NTX (F)
High: 33Low: 39▲ 1Only 83 combined minutes from the season so far. Torre has gone from first-team preseason camp to Nayrobi Vargas taking his North Texas start. – Dan
39Tomas Pondeca
NTX (F)
High: 37Low: 39▼ 2His PT has fallen off from the beginning of the year making way for Endeley. – Buzz
40Alejandro Araneda
NTX (M)
High: 34Low: 40▼ 2A bit-part player with only one start, and three games not making it off the bench. – Dan
41Yeicar Perlaza
NTX (D)
High: 35Low: 41▼ 1Yes, he’s fast but he’s prone to some shockingly poor decision-making. Tactics are poor and the defense is a shambles when he plays (it’s not just him.) – Buzz
42Manuel Caicedo
NTX (D)
High: 36Low: 42▼ 1Caicedo got the full 90 in Colorado but that’s his only playing time so far. – Dan
43Michael Webber
NTX (GK)
High: 43Low: 43— 0Has yet to make an appearance. Is more PT in the cards after Eyestone and Stewart head to college this fall? – Buzz
44Tarik Scott
FCD (F)
High: 26Low: 44— 0Out for the season

Thoughts and Musings

Our number one yet again is Jesus Ferreira. He’s the guy until he leaves the club.

We have a three-way tie for this month’s winner. Bernard Kamungo, Tyshawn Rose, and Herbert Endeley all rise six spots.

Bernie put a minuteless March behind him by scoring the winner in his season debut against Real Salt Lake. Rose has put his stamp on the North Texas Roster with a three-assist game this past weekend, while Endeley is putting in some man-of-the-match performances on the wing.

Edwin Cerrillo‘s seven-place tumble is the biggest. Is he the team’s best defensive midfielder? Probably, but he’s not Nico Estevez’s choice right now as consistent minutes get ever more necessary in his development.

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