No Show Tonight: Afterburn Soccer Takes a Week Off Because of That Awful North Texas Loss

We need to regroup, but look for fresh content as both FC Dallas and North Texas SC are back in action this weekend.

Hey, readers.

We appreciate all of your support.

I am a little bit under the weather, and with a lighter week, it’s a nice moment to take another breather before FC Dallas and North Texas SC get back into action next weekend.

Of course, that North Texas SC loss hardly lifted our spirits. It’s hard to take a lot of big lessons from a game when you turn to some young professional soccer players and they lay an egg. At home. Ugh. As Gall mentioned and we highlighted, inconsistency is a problem for this team.

But there is always reason for hope.

Here are a few threads we are following in the FC Dallas world:

Marco Farfan Sold: Is it good or bad?

This rumor has been out there, but Tigres has stepped in to purchase FC Dallas stalwart Marco Farfan for around $2 million. I don’t think the team has made it official yet, but I expect that announcement sometime this week. Farfan has been one of those steady presences, a really nice pickup for the FC Dallas through some transition years. Injuries have limited him somewhat this season, but for him to get interest from Tigres, he has to be living the dream. How can you say no?

The challenge is that FC Dallas is not exactly awash in solid defenders. Farfan was a key piece - and probably a better defender than Ibeagha and Abubakar.

However, the sale is a decent chunk of change for a guy who probably was ready for this kind of move in his career. How do you reinvest it? Do you turn to the next youngster from the academy? Do you look within Major League Soccer for a quality piece that can boost the team?

Lots of questions.

Lucho Acosta: Will he stay or will he go?

There have been a few fallen dominoes around the league that at least raise the specter that some Major League Soccer team could swoop in with a package of cash to bring in Lucho Acosta. Colorado just sold Djordje Mihailović to Toronto for a bag of bones. Could they turn around and give Acosta shot? Would he fit better with what they want to do in the Rocky Mountain State?

More likely, no one has Acosta on their radar at the moment. It’s not like Lucho has been lighting things up in Frisco.

Or are teams looking for a heavy discount? Will FC Dallas see this out or just rid themselves of a player who has underperformed and disappointed?

I can see it both ways. It’s hard for me to think the Hunts give up so soon on this player they worked hard to bring in. On the other hand, if a reasonable offer comes in, why not cut your losses and just move on? The Acosta experiment hasn’t worked, and I’m not sure if it will.

North Texas SC’s Loss Gives Us Pause

Yes, we know North Texas SC, after a championship last year, can be good. Behind Sam Sarver, the team has flirted with a strong form that echoes what we saw last year. But that team was, on the whole, older and more experienced. This team looks young. Their inconsistency is a sign of that.

We have expected Nolan Norris, Alvaro Augusto, Sam Sarver, and Josh Torquato to feature in the second half of the season for FC Dallas, but when those guys start for North Texas and lay a big fat egg, we pause. Maybe we shouldn’t expect miracles, even if there is only upside from giving young guys a chance.

We’ll read the tea leaves and try to figure out what all of this means for the next few games for FC Dallas.

See you next week!