Playoffs: Are we close?
Let's peak at where FC Dallas sits in relation to a playoff hunt, with help from Matt Doyle.
Returning to Saturday night, a lot of folks around the league are scratching their heads at the incredible 40+ shots given up by FC Dallas, down a man, at St Louis - and the fact that the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
As an avid Football Manager nerd, these stats are nightmare-inducing, triggering. They make me irrationally angry. This is the kind of result that leads to me rage quitting, lambasting my players, and threatening to resign from my fake career.
What is more surprising - Dallas did this with Jacob Jackson, their backup goalkeeper who hadn’t even played an MLS minute yet. The dude was huge in a really tough spot after Michael Collodi was sent off for a soft red.
A road point is good in this league, especially given the circumstances.
But even better news as Matt Doyle points out on the mothership, FC Dallas is still in the playoff mix.
Of course, Dallas needs to win. They need points. Draws likely won’t do it (except maybe on the road). To be able to jump closer to San Jose, the hard work begins against Austin FC who roll into town this weekend.
But for as tough as this season has been, Quill and company have a shot to make some noise. And at least listening to Quill after the draw on Saturday night, the enthusiasm and teamwork is there. The head coach keeps emphasizing how much fun he is having with this group of guys, even if it is an imperfect roster, and how much he believes they can get the job done.
We’ll of course look at some of these scenarios tonight on the Afterburn Soccer Show at 7 PM CST/5 PM PST.
See you there!