FCD at Dallas Cup 2022 – Monday Burn Out

The title is a bit of a joke play on the fact I was out at the Dallas Cup all day Monday. My first game I watched was at 9 am and the final game I watched at 9 pm.

So at 11:30 in my hotel, I didn’t feel up to banging out this piece. I was gone all day Tuesday as well, so the Monday post is coming Tuesday.

By the way, the GA Cup uses 30 minutes halves for the group games. Frankly, I hate it. I understand why, 3 games in 3 days. That plus PKs in the group stage. Ugh. Who’s running this thing?

9 am – U17 Academy – GA Cup

This was game two for the U17s of the GA Cup playing against St Louis City they spanked 14-0 last meeting. Fair to say this one wasn’t the same. St Louis brought some MLS Next Pro kids, I understand, and FCD was rotating a bit. Dallas gifted StL a goal with a winded-aided blunder. Dallas got their own from Kris Kelley on a cross from Anthony Ramirez.

So off to PKs, which Dallas lost 5-3. Putting themselves in a less optimal position.

FCD U17 XI vs St Louis City at Dallas Cup 2022, April 11, 2022.

Subs:
48 Jared Aguilar
2 Adrian Anguiano
30 Jared Salazar
24 Nayrobi Vargas
70 Kevin Kelley

Comments

First, shoutout to St Louis City’s #39 Fritz Volmer, a center back I really liked. He’s on of the MLS Next Pro guys I understand.

Good to see Adrian Anguiano moving really well. He looks 100% from the back knee injury.

Ale Urzua I understand is coming back from a recent injury. So he only plays half.

I quite like the Kris Kelley at right back idea. If you want a modern, dynamic, flying right back like Bryan Reynolds this is a great idea.

Dylan Lacy is a central mid who has recently come to FCD from NYRB. He was with Philly before moving to NYRB last Fall. Good ball skill, moves well, missing the killer pass. Not quite a fast as I like but I wouldn’t call him slow. He’s clearly still learning his teammates as this is his first week with the club. A player like this is for next year rather than now.

Most of the guys I’ve seen quite a bit and talked about a lot. No one changed my mind today.

Noon – U19 Academy – Dallas Cup

Did I say Noon? I meant 2 pm… or I mean 2:30… er… 2:45 PM.

Schedule change, lightning delay, ref issue, etc.

This is the 19s second game as well. But another really good performance against what is usually a strong Monterrey side. 0-0 Final despite a later straight red to Monterrey.

FC Dallas 19s XI vs Monterrey at Dallas Cup, April 11, 2022.

Subs
19 Jalen Belong
6 Diego Hernandez

Comments

When Jalen Belong came on Dallas went to a 2 striker system. Kind of a 4-1-3-2.

Diego Hernandez really helped them get a hold of possession.

FCD uses Danney Elizalde all over the place. Every time I see him he puts in a quality performance. Just a good, solid soccer player.

This game and the half game the day before, are the best I’ve seen Jordan Jones play in a couple of years. Maybe he just needs good opposition to give a crap?

Slade Starnes has had an amazing couple of years from premier to now. He’s become a dominant defender. He’s heading to Furman and I look forward to seeing what he can do.

Tarik Scott continues to really impress. I’m getting Grown Ass Man vibes. (That’s an Eddie Johnson reference if you are new to it.)

91 Alexis Gonzalez turns out to be a goalkeeper.

4 pm – U14 Academy – Dallas Cup

The opening game of the tourney for the U14s is against Tigres San Antonio Premier. This one wasn’t pretty. FCD dominated and it easily could have been a lot more than 4-0.

FC Dallas U14s XI vs Tigres San Antonio at Dallas Cup 2022, April 11, 2022.

Subs: U14s have open subs so I’m not even going to try and keep up.

Comments

Andre Saucedo is the star of this team. He’s so good at this level. I really hope he stays this good. What a fun player to watch. The whole team is built around him.

Edgar Razo again impresses as a 6. Good looking player.

The center back I really liked last time I watched this team, Gabriel Rojas comes into midfield and again looks great. Real quality.

A player I have not seen before, Erik Rosales, was quite impressive. I like his motor and skill. He stood out as a game influence.

All the defenders look good, but they weren’t really challenged so it’s hard to take anything away from this game for them in terms of valuation.

9 am – U15 Academy – GA Cup

The U15s face their third opponent in FC Cincinnati. Cincy was very direct and very big. Lots of pace. Dallas, by comparison, is much smaller and plays more in a modern build on the ground.

This is another result that doesn’t go FCD’s way as FCC gets a late penalty they convert for the win. This loss saw FCD finish tied on 3 points but they lose all the tiebreakers to finish 4th in the group.

FCD U15s XI vs FC Cincinatti in Dallas Cup 2022, April 11, 2022.

Subs:
11 Juan Mancia
17 Bryce Outman
6 Antonio Zertuche
7 Michael Cortellessa
19 Lucas Cavalcante
13 Dylan Hernandez

Comments

The new left back Judah McCloud looks pretty good. Quality player. I’d like to see him some more.

I understand why, but I don’t like Brice Miller as an 8 where he is just ok when he’s such a dangerous, dynamic winger. When he moves up he’s such a threat.

Jeyden Arboleda and Bryce Outman are both really skilled players but FCD is so big in the middle or wing the two diminutive FCD players just got shoved off the ball, and often over, every time they got the ball. It was very difficult for either to impact.

Cayne Mahhlangove remains a kid I just love watching play. Power and energy getting forward, can dribble a couple of guys. Love it.

Good performance from Jonathan Martinez in net.

The U15s are out of the tournament but get to play in the showcase games against San Jose (Tuesday), Club Leon (Thursday), and DC United (Friday).

U13 Academy – Dallas Cup

I didn’t see this game, but they rebounded and won 6-0 against Arkansas Rising SC.

P.S. I’m writing this quite late and I’m exhausted from being out in the heat and wind for two days. Hopefully, you’ll forgive anything egregious.

2 Comments

  1. On the 30min halves: my understanding is they had several years in a row in the early 2010s where the kids were totally burned out by the semis and finals. Coaches complaining, soft tissue injuries, really bad play by the seventh game of the week, etc. Made the decision in ’15 or ’16 to shorten game length.

    Imo it’s defensible. It’s not “normal” for soccer, but neither is playing seven competitive games in eight days.

    1. It’s crap, and it’s because in GA Cup, they try and play too many games too quickly. I know for sure that surveys of all the coaches show it’s disliked and they would prefer it wasn’t that way.

      It’s just another way MLS tries to “improve” the game that doesn’t need improvement. Non-soccer people making decisions. Just play the game everyone else plays and take a little longer. Don’t try and cram in the games so fast. GA Cup is a media splash hype event.

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