FC Dallas Preview

"Holy dog shit. Texas? Only steers and queers come from Texas, Private Cowboy. And you don't look much like a steer to me so that kinda narrows it down. Do you suck dicks?"
  Gunnery Sergeant Hartman - Full Metal Jacket


So, tonight SSFC takes on FC Dallas. A team that sucked until Jeff Cunningham caught fire in the second half of the season after Kenny Cooper got sold. If Cunningham scores, Dallas is okay. When he doesn't score, they lose. If this were a good blog, I would have statistics to back that up. But that requires time and energy. And this isn't a good blog. Suffice to say that if SSFC can keep Cunningham from running wild, they should be in position to win the game.


Let's be fair about one thing. FC Dallas has a big steer on it's logo. Which means that the players can only really be one thing. Golf ball through a garden hose, something along those lines.


There really isn't anything about Dallas that scares me. I think Hurtado and others should be able to deliver a shut-out. This game hinges on our ability to create and finish chances. From watching the Sounders FC game preview, I know that Arlo White thinks that Dallas pushes lots of guys into the attack. If that's true, we should be able to generate a number of counter-attack opportunities. Against RSL, we put one away. Tonight, I want to see two counter-attack goals.


My prediction is that tonight's key players are Zakuani and Ljungberg. I think both will score goals. I also think that SSFC may have more possession of the ball than they did against RSL. 


I'm picking with my heart and not my brain here, but the final score will be 3-1. SSFC will give up a goal late in the 2nd half because they aren't concentrating.