2012 MLS Inquest: FC Dallas

Brek Shea's season was plagued by injuries and disciplinary issues.

2012 MLS Inquest: FC Dallas

Record: 9-13-12

Points: 39

Position: 6th, Western Conference

Player of the Year: David Ferreira

How can a guy that missed half of the season due to injury be player of the year for a team?  It's simple.  Before the 2010 MVP returned from his broken ankle that had cost him the better part of both the 2011 and the 2012 campaigns, Dallas was barely a team.  After his return, the Hoops made a push out of the Western Conference cellar and landed close to the Vancouver Whitecaps for the final playoff spot in the West.  In the end, the stats might not have shown it, only 2 goals in 17 games, but after seeing him torch RSL at Rio Tinto Stadium, I realized exactly what his presence meant to the team.

Flop of the Year: Brek Shea

I actually thought long and hard about this one.  On the surface the stats don't look too bad for the young US International.  He had three goals and two assists in 21 games, but the reality of the situation is that he was far less dangerous when he was on the field.  Unfortunately for Brek, his highest profile moment of the season came when he intentionally kicked a ball at a linesman in Columbus, resulting in a lengthy suspension.  I would characterize it more of a season of growing pains for Brek though.  He still can be one of the best in the league, and sometimes we forget that he is still very young.  I don't believe he was quite ready to be the leader the team needed without Ferreira, but if David can stay healthy, he should continue to grow as the team's situation improves.

The Good:

Dallas finished the regular season strong, picking up points in 8 of their last ten matches.  The run was highlighted by the 2-1 victory at Real Salt Lake and two wins over the Vancouver Whitecaps, who were right in front of them for playoff positioning.  Coming into the final 3 matches of the season, they looked to be almost certain of catching Vancouver, with 2 of the last 3 matches against lowly Chivas USA, it didn't turn out that way though, which leads us to........

The Bad:

The Hoops melted down when it mattered most, right at the end of the season.  To begin that crucial final three match run, they failed to muster more than a draw against Chivas USA.  One might have thought they would up for at least a draw against a Seattle side that wasn't playing particularly well in their next match, but they ran into a Sounders side pushing for playoff positioning and got eaten alive, pretty much ending the playoff push.  Their last match of the season ended in disappointment again, as they drew once again with the Goats.

The Ugly:

Many of FC Dallas's wounds were self inflicted this year, as the team suffered from a severe lack of discipline early on in the campaign.  Certainly the fact that the team was bitten by the injury bug didn't help, but the Hoops could not seem to control their frustrations, and much of it came out on the pitch, with consequences.  I've already mentioned Shea's suspension for kicking the ball at the linesman.  The team also picked up six red cards on the year, including two from Captain Daniel Hernandez, and two from defender Zach Lloyd.  Blas Perez continued to gain a reputation in the league for diving, a complaint that is sometimes lodged against Ferreira as well.  It really got to a point where Dallas could not seem to get out of their own way on the pitch, and it cost them some results.

The Verdict:

The season ultimately ended in disappointment for Dallas, but it could have been much, much worse.  Around midseason they were mired in the bottom of the western conference, Ferreira was still injured, and Shea was suspended.    Keeper Kevin Hartman seemed to be the only man keeping Dallas in some matches.  They persevered though, recovering from the injury bug to make a push for the playoffs, though they eventually fell short.  One must wonder if they would have given LA more of a push had they gotten into the playoffs instead of the dead in the water Vancouver Whitecaps.  I really would like to say that the forecast is probably brighter next season, but I'm not so sure.  They did re-sign defender George John, which has been a high point of the offseason so far, however some folks, including myself, were left scratching heads over the rejection of Kevin Hartman.  If Ferreira stays healthy and Shea rounds back into form, Dallas can be very dangerous.  However, the last two years since their MLS Cup appearance have been pretty disappointing, so for me, they'll have a lot to prove before being considered one of the best in the West again.