As FC Dallas raced down the homestretch last season on their way to the regular season Western Conference title, one of the standout performers for the club was Abe Thompson.
The former University of Maryland standout overcame a foot injury suffered early in the season before finishing the season with a flurry. He started six of FCD's final eight regular season games, as well as both playoff games against Colorado. Of his season totals of two goals and six assists, one goal and five assists came during that closing stretch.
The third-year forward is looking to keep that momentum going heading into the 2007 season.
"That was my goal at the end of the year," Thompson said. "My goal was to make sure that I maintained my high level of fitness coming into the preseason and be able to build off what I did at the end of last year."
He has done just that, coming into preseason focused, in shape and showing the top form that he showed last fall. New FCD head coach Steve Morrow has definitely taken notice.
"Abe has been great," he said. "He's one of those guys who is a great professional and I know that I can always rely on him. I've told him and other guys like him that if they're the guys that are playing well and doing the stuff on the field, I've got no problem starting them.
"He played a lot of minutes last year and I think that's showed in his confidence level this preseason. I know I can rely on him to go in and keep the ball for us. He's a great finisher around the box as well. He's very clinical, always hits the target and is going to push very hard for a starting spot."
Morrow has employed a 4-2-3-1 formation for much of the preseason that has Carlos Ruiz alone up top. Behind him in contention for the trio of attacking midfield roles, Thompson is part of a group that includes Arturo Alvarez, second-leading scorer Kenny Cooper, Roberto Mina, who has returned to full health after a knee injury sidelined him a year ago, and Dominic Oduro, whose blazing speed as a rookie dazzled fans last year.
Count Thompson as being among the FCD players who should flourish in Morrow's new system.
"It's kind of similar to what we did last year, but the front four are not as rigid," he said. "That gives the midfielders the freedom to interchange with the forwards. It will confuse defenses if we're able to keep moving and stay active. We won't have the same guys going up against the same defenders all the time. Once we get fully acclimated to it, it will be really effective."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
