- Brad Davis is getting healthier for Houston, but may not be ready to start
- A striker still has not scored for the Dynamo since May 8
- Chris Rolfe had two goals last week in Chicago’s 4-1 win over D.C. United
Fortress BBVA just isn’t what it used to.
That doesn’t mean the Dynamo’s downtown ground, just 14 months old, is now easy pickings for opposition operations. The crowds there are boisterous, the relentless humidity in South Texas is never accommodating and Dynamo manager Dominic Kinnear likes to keep the field tight, all the better for his players and their familiarity with how to make it work.
But … the former Dynamo unblemished mark disappeared last month, so the former BBVA mystique has evaporated into the thick Houston air, at least. That has to be helpful as Chicago comes to town for a 9 p.m. ET kickoff on the NBC Sports Network. (The stat-packed official league preview is here.)
Before a tight victory over Philadelphia on July 6 (in the team’s most recent MLS match at home) the Dynamo had suffered a draw and two losses at BBVA in the most recent matches there. The string of bad results fell in stark contrast to the 36-game unbeaten streak at home, which stretched back to June of 2011 and the days spent passing, trapping and shooting inside Robertson Stadium at the University of Houston.
The missing element in June and through July has been scoring from forwards. Will Bruin and Giles Barnes struck back on May 8, but the Dynamo strikers have fired blanks from there. All forwards, that is. Goals by midfielders Adam Moffat and Ricardo Clark (both pictured) have guided victories lately, but teams simply cannot win over a longer stretch without production from the men paid to score goals.
Speaking of those men: Mike Magee keeps scoring for the Fire, and keeps building his case for league MVP. The veteran attacker has six goals in eight league appearances since the newsy trade from L.A. in May. He has nine in all competitions for Chicago. Further, with 12 goals in MLS this year, Magee trails the league’s leading scorer in 2013 (Vancouver’s Camilo) by just one.
Chris Rolfe had only two goals a week ago, but enjoyed a two-goal breakout in the Fire’s 4-1 dismantling of woeful D.C. United last Saturday at Toyota Park.
“The difference tonight was just finishing our chances,” Fire manager Frank Klopas said of the big victory over United.
It might be tougher to get those chances without Dilly Duka’s ability to break down defense from the wing and supply the centering passes. Duka is out with a groin injury.
On the other hand, they should get Patrick Nyarko back; the speedy flanker was out last week with strep throat. Presumably, Nyarko will run the right side with Joel Lindpere, coming successfully off his first start in a month, patrolling the left.
Speaking of the left: the Dynamo should soon have a fully fit Brad Davis to compete for time in the team’s already stacked midfield. The U.S. international missed almost a month with a hamstring injury, but did play 24 minutes in Wednesday’s friendly win over Stoke City.
Most likely, Davis will come off the bench Saturday, but sooner or later it’s easy to see some type of rotation developing among Davis, central men Adam Moffat and Ricardo Clark and wide attackers Oscar Boniek Garcia and Andrew Driver.