Short Scouting Report: FC Dallas

If you weren't aware, FC Dallas was a really good team last season. They weren't that great at winning games straight up, but they knew how to battle teams out to a draw, to the tune of a ridiculous league high 14 ties. They were able to carry their talented offensive squad all the way to the MLS Cup final against our own Colorado Rapids, where an own goal by George John off a great play by Macoumba Kandji doomed them to a 2-1 loss. Their story for this year began after the season was over when they lost Atiba Harris (Whitecaps), Jeff Cunningham (Crew) and Dax McCarty (DC) among others. With a lot of their starters missing from last season they have only been able to grab a single point and a single goal out of their first three games against fairly weak teams Chicago, San Jose and Columbus.

Dallas still have the services of last year's MVP David Ferreira as well as a pretty good defense featuring Jair Benitez and now Brek Shea. They should, by all means, be a team in the playoffs this year but if they can't stop stumbling out of the gate and earning unfortunate red cards it might be a long year in Dallas for the hoops.