2011 Houston Dynamo regular season thread

I used to play against Dixon when I was 12. Kid was by far the best player in the league. Crazy skill set for our age at the time. Was so cool to see him do that.

 

We're going to learn an awful lot about this team in the next few weeks. Their next three league games are at Vancouver, at Sporting KC and at Columbus Crew. That's not an easy stretch. Columbus is the best team in the East, KC is right there with the Dynamo battling for position and while Vancouver isn't any good, that's a long trip up there to make. There's also a friendly match with Monterrey mixed in there.

 

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0-0 between your Dynamo and Vancouver. This one is fast-moving. Both teams have been on the attack quite a bit. If Tally Hall hadn't brought his A-game in this one, the Whitecaps would probably have at least two goals so far.

Eric Hassli has had several chances from basically point blank range and there was also a deflected corner kick that Hall managed to get a couple of fingers on.

The good guys have to get three points here. They have yet to win a match on the road and the majority of their MLS schedule from here on out is on the road. Vancouver is also the worst team in MLS.

 

Well that was disappointing. Vancouver got a late goal. It was in the 83rd minute I believe. They are just snake-bitten on the road. They outplayed the Whitecaps in every way, but just couldn't punch one in.

 

Need to win one of these last two road games to help the team's psyche, or it will be a very short postseason. Well, they likely need to win at least one to make the postseason anyway.

 

If they can win two of their remaining games they've got a good chance of making the playoffs, if not things get kind of dicey. If they can't get a win on the road it's going to put a lot of pressure on the Chicago/LA games.

 

They looked horrible doing it though. Wtf so hard about passing the ball with fluidity?I hate that they make stupid turnovers.also hainult n boswell are turrible, so many balls hit hall's post. Glad they won but why can't this team gel together?

 

1-1 draw with Chicago today. Colin Clark got the scoring started, but former Dynamo Dominic Oduro got the equalizer for the Fire shortly thereafter.

Really could have used three points today. The Dynamo currently sit third in the East, which would give them an automatic berth, but they have played at least one more game than every other team in the playoff race.

If they fall out of the top three in the East, they fall into the wild card race, where they will immediately drop behind several West teams that already have more points than they do.

All the Dynamo has left are two tough games. They have the Timbers on the road about two weeks from now and the Galaxy at home in the finale. With any luck, the Galaxy will be sitting many of their regulars to get ready for the postseason.

If the Dynamo miss the playoffs, they will look back at a couple of missed opportunities. They will regret not getting at least a draw at Vancouver late in August and they will wish they had picked up three points at either New England or Philadelphia in the month of August in what were two very winnable games.

 

I went to the game and first of all it was focking hot!!! Next, it was a pretty good game except at the end the Dynamo had 2 clean shots at the goal and one went wide left by a few feet. Sucks. Oh well they need to win at least one of their next two games for a shot at the playoffs... Realistically they need to win em both.

 

Not sure if they need to win both, though doing so would likely ensure the playoffs. The matches this week are huge to clearing up the playoff picture. Need Crew/United to tie, Chivas/Seattle to beat Phili, and Galaxy to beat NY.

 

Just like we had feared, the Dynamo fell behind in the playoff race. Their draw this past weekend with Chicago didn't help, but the fact so many other teams in the race have more games left is a bigger concern.

There's a big game for their playoff chances tonight in New York vs. LA. The Red Bulls are just three points behind the Dynamo right now. At half, New York has a 1-0 lead. LA has given a somewhat listless performance, but they are without Donovan and Robbie Keane and they have little to play for at this point.

Can't stress how important the road game against Portland is. Portland is right in the thick of things, three points behind the Dynamo. This game is what they call a "six-pointer."

 

Friday night in Portland will be the match of the year. If the Dynamo lose, they won't make the playoffs.

If anyone cares, you watch the match online at mlssoccer.com

 

Dynamo up 1 nothing on Portland.