2020 Season Preview: Houston Dynamo

2020 Season Preview: Houston Dynamo

Mauro Manotas and Alberth Elis are still in Houston.

Despite numerous rumors extending back multiple years, neither of the Dynamo’s attacking duo was sold this offseason. The Dynamo, then, will mostly run it back this season, this being perhaps their last shot to maximize the value of their attacking stars. Outside of a handful of acquisitions, this will mostly be the same team that has missed the playoffs the last two years.

One key difference: Tab Ramos, not Wilmer Cabrera, is the coach. Ramos is more likely to incorporate young players and is expected to play a more cohesive, front-foot style. Cabrera spent the first year of his tenure playing a counter-attacking 4-3-3, then switched to a more possession-based style in 2018 and 2019, with unfavorable results.

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Offseason Outlook: Houston Dynamo

The offseason in Houston once again brings more question marks for the Dynamo as they enter yet another period of rebuilding. Gone are head coach Wilmer Cabrera and captain DaMarcus Beasley, in is former United States U23 coach Tab Ramos and a roster with plenty of holes still to fill.

A new era brings a bit of a renewed hope in the fanbase, but the Dynamo still have a bit of work to do if they want to compete in an increasingly difficult Western Conference. If Ramos and general manager Matt Jordan can fill the remaining holes in the roster and get the team to buy-in to the new system, this team could perhaps make some noise in 2020.

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Using Expected Threat to Find the Best Shot-Creators in MLS

Using Expected Threat to Find the Best Shot-Creators in MLS

Growing up as a Manchester United fan, I have been fortunate enough to have seen some brilliant attacking players, but amidst a bevy of exciting talent one man stood out as a different kind of goalscorer – a comparatively unheralded striker from Mexico: Javier Hernandez – more commonly known as Chicharito.  

The fascinating part about Hernandez’s game was how he scored those goals. Chicharito is the ultimate goal poacher, a real throwback to the earlier decades when strikers were meant to sit in the box and score goals – nothing else. While Ronaldo et al., often created their goal scoring opportunities with their ability to move with the ball, Chicharito’s skill was moving without the ball. With his ability to, somehow, always be in the right place at the right time, Hernandez has made a career of tap-ins and intuitive finishes. In fact, all 52 of his goals in the Premier League have come from inside the box.

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Lowered Expectations: Week 31

Welcome to Lowered Expectations, week 29 edition! Each week, we go about posting chalkboards and GIFs of the weekend’s best open-play shot attempts which did not quite live up to expectations (and rarely do we update this paragraph). We look at each one and not only evaluate the results, but also the process leading to them.

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Lowered Expectations: Week 8

Lowered Expectations: Week 8

Welcome to Lowered Expectations, the week seven edition! Each week, we go about posting chalkboards and GIFs of the weekend’s best open-play shot attempts that did not quite live up to expectations. We look at each one and not only evaluate the results, but also the process that led to them.

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