At FC Dallas, answers to key questions begin trickling out
Still plenty of decisions ahead on personnel and directions, but we know a wee bit more now
Even as Eric Quill took charge officially last week we had bags full of questions about how things might look around Toyota Stadium.
Questions about personnel, about playing style, about who is making those personnel calls and even about the staff that the new manager is assembling. There will always be plenty of questions when an MLS team comes off a non-playoff season; as we sit here in December of 2024, FCD is no different.
We’re starting to get some answers. Not many, but a few.
Players on the move … perhaps
Various reports tell us that Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola may have played their last matches in Frisco (in an FCD shirt, that is). I have a thought on what this means in the big picture – that’s in the next item. But there are a couple of smaller take-aways here.
First, about Arriola. He’s been a good soldier and he’s a solid roster piece. He’s also the kind of never-quit guy Quill likes. He doesn’t “take plays off” to borrow a phrase from American football, and you get the feeling that Quill hopes to stack his roster with guys just like him. As captain, he stands up for teammates. These are all positive attributes, and I don’t think any of this is lost on Quill nor on FCD’s technical staff.
So why is he on the trading block? Here’s the deal when it comes to roster decisions – especially when it comes to “protected lists” around expansion drafts, contract options, etc.: these things are never just about on-field attributes. There are criss-crossing elements of value, perceived value from other clubs (i.e., how badly they are willing to part with assets to acquire someone), a club’s roster status, roster depth at a players’ position, stylistic fit, and more.
All of that is to say: just because Arriola or someone else is being shopped or left unprotected, that doesn’t mean he’s fallen out of favor with a club or that a team doesn’t think he has much to offer. In Arriola’s case, a lot of it is about money and that he eats up a DP spot. His guaranteed compensation for ‘24 was listed at $1.7 million. a huge splash of cash for a winger who is doing fine (5 goals, 7 assists in ‘24, including some matches at right back) but one who isn’t delivering Gabriel Pec-type numbers.
It’s almost certainly about FCD attempting to unload salary more than about FCD trying to unload Arriola.
As for Ferreira: Look, the young homegrown hasn’t been the guy we once knew for 18 months now. I’ve written about that before, including here. And also here, about the “Ferreira conundrum.”
I’ve also written about how FCD has a choice to make (Item: Who to build the attack around). They can build around Petar Musa, or around Alan Velasco, or around Ferreira. Perhaps they can bundle up two of them and build the attack around the pair, but it would be a big tactical lift to build around all three.
Someone has to go. It’s not Musa; he did great in his initial MLS season. And it’s clearly not Velasco, since the club just extended his contract. So …
In all honesty, Ferreira probably needs a move, whether that’s into another MLS address or abroad. His wheels are off the road at FCD, and he needs to get ‘em back onto the pavement. Somewhere. A trade or a sell looks like the best move for everyone.
The bigger picture
We also asked the question previously about whether the club needed some kind of roster refresh, or if this thing was getting taken down to the studs? In other words, restock or complete rebuild? I’d say we’re getting the answer now.
It’s looking like a full rebuild.
Whispers around MLS is that FCD is willing to listen to offers on … well, on pretty much anyone still under contract. I’d guess that only Maarten Paes, Musa and Velasco are 100 percent off the table. Those are the building blocks now. (You could probably add Logan Farrington to the list; even if he’s not necessarily a starter. His youth, ridiculously inexpensive roster cost and high upside make him a piece FCD would almost certainly want to keep.)
A year ago, we would have included Ferreira and Arriola on that list of “building blocks.” So, yeah … rebuilding the whole thing seems like the course that’s been selected.
The guys in the middle
Hard to say which guys in the FCD roster “middle class” might stick around. I’m talking here about solid players, but guys who may / may not be a good fit for Quill’s preferred style, or guys who may / may not fetch good value on the MLS trade market. I’m thinking here about Marco Farfan, Sebastien Ibeagha, Nkosi Tafari, Sebastian Lletget, Bernie Kamungo and maybe a few others.
Paxton Pomykal is on that list for sure, and quite possibly as a building block, depending on his health and availability.
I could see scenarios where every one of these guys stick around and provide valuable starts. Or I can envision a scenario where one or two find themselves elsewhere as teams get into training camps in January.
As I said, answers to questions are incoming — but still plenty to come.
Why don’t we hear anything about what Seattle is offering in return? I’ve heard that they would take Paul if we eat the majority of the contract for next season. At that point it would be better to keep him for next season.