One year ago, it took FC Dallas 13 games to record its first clean sheet of the season. However, just four games into the 2008 season, FCD has posted consecutive shutouts after 2-0 wins against the New York Red Bulls and at Chivas USA.
The two shutouts have come in the Hoops' last two matches, and head coach Steve Morrow hopes it's the first of many more this season.
"It's important to build on good, strong defensive displays," Morrow said. "The whole team has defended well in the last two games and having two clean sheets in a row is certainly very positive. It makes the guys feel more solid and secure as a unit when you can do that. There's no reason why we can't go and get another one on Thursday."
FCD plays host to the New England Revolution Thursday in an MLS Primetime match on ESPN2 (7:30 p.m. CT). Only twice have the Hoops kept a clean sheet against the Revs in the Lone Star State. The most recent came in May 2006 when FCD scored four times in the first 19 minutes and prevailed 4-0. Before that, their only other home shutout against the Revolution was in 1999.
While Morrow is quick to credit the entire team for doing a better job defensively, the FCD backline of Duilio Davino, Drew Moor and Adrian Serioux has been rock-solid. Also, the play of veteran goalkeeper Dario Sala has been consistent and equally steady.
For Sala, these back-to-back shutouts are a function of one thing -- the back three getting comfortable playing with each other.
"The back line hasn't changed and I told Steve (Morrow) after the game (on Sunday) how important it was that they don't get injured, get a red card and always play together," Sala said. "This is the base of the team and everyone is realizing that now after we haven't allowed a goal in the last two games."
Early in the season, Davino was still getting acclimated to MLS but that adjustment period now looks to be over. The former Mexican national team defender has emerged as the steadying influence that Morrow expected him to be when he was signed.
"Duilio (Davino) speaks enough English to communicate with the guys around him," Morrow said. "He's directing things from the back and we've got three experienced guys back there, three guys who are talking and organizing not just the back line but things in front of them as well. We're still early in the season but they're making good progress in each game and that can only be positive."
Serioux agreed, saying Davino's presence has brought a real calming influence.
"We've kind of seen what he's capable of doing, his abilities and stuff like that," Serioux said. "He's a smart player and is very knowledgeable in his position. He makes our job easier by pulling us together and making us shift at the right time to make sure we step up and close down certain people. It's just making our job easier and is benefiting the team since we're keeping clean sheets."
The Canadian international added that it was only a matter of time before he and Moor got fully accustomed to playing with Davino and the nuances of the veteran defender's game.
"Along with everything else, it was about getting used to the player that you're playing besides," Serioux said. "Communication is more body language and knowing where you have to be a certain time. There's really not too much that Duilio says unless it's really important for him to speak his mind. It's great playing alongside him because he understands where he needs to be and is in the right location at the right time."
The man who plays just behind the FCD back line thinks the Hoops' defensive success comes down to one simple thing.
"I think for us, it's a consequence of what we were doing," Sala said. "We didn't think about getting a clean sheet or get crazy about it but we felt that we were consistent and compact on defense and the more that we play together, the back three and myself, the more consistent we will get."
For Serioux, it comes down to something equally basic.
"It's just unity right now," he said. "It's a matter of guys coming in, filling in their positions and doing their job. Everybody is really working together and working for each other. That's a bonus for us. We've been practicing quite a bit on closing people down and moving together. You can see that in the games and it's paying off for us. Now all we have to do is keep possession of the ball when we have it and when we don't, win it back and make teams chase us for once."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
