FRISCO, Texas – Another game, another position for FC Dallas' young Brazilian.
Jackson Gonçalves started in place of Atiba Harris on the right wing at Real Salt Lake on Saturday (the St. Kitts native had been bothered by a foot cyst). It was the third different position in which Jackson has started since joining FCD in August, but he was equal to the challenge.
“I thought he was really good,” Hyndman said of Jackson after his side fell 2-0 to Real Salt Lake. “I thought he was a player that put a lot of pressure on them. He was beating [Tony] Beltran to the baseline, getting services off. He was winning balls. He was flicking them on.”
Harris did come on in the 71st minute for Dax McCarty, but his place in the side against the LA Galaxy in Sunday’s match at the Home Depot Center is far from secure.
“We’ll have to wait and see how things develop,” Hyndman said of the battle for right midfield.
On the opposite wing from Harris and Jackson, Marvin Chavez held down the left. It was the Honduran’s fifth straight start for the Hoops.
“I thought Chávez was very good in the second half,” Hyndman said. “In the first half, we didn’t get him enough balls. Marvin probably won 25 balls he shouldn’t have.”
Lingering Effects from RSL
FCD lost more than a match at Rio Tinto this Saturday.
“We’re still picking up injuries here and there,” Hyndman said. “We’ve got a couple of hamstrings that got tight on us – [Daniel] Hernandez and then we brought Ugo [Ihemelu] out with a hamstring. Hopefully they’ll be alright this weekend.”
Hernandez had been out since Sept. 16 with a pulled right hamstring and had missed four games. Ihemelu had missed a total of 10 games after suffering a concussion in a 3-1 win over Philadelphia back on Aug. 8.
Options at Right Back
Hyndman’s last opportunity to set his starting XI before the playoffs begin will be thwarted. Right back Heath Pearce will not be available for FCD against LA.
“We lost Heath on a silly fifth yellow,” Hyndman said of Pearce’s caution against RSL, which automatically earned the defender a one-match suspension. “One of the key things we talked about in the game was be smart, and then he did that.”
Rookie Zach Loyd could get the start at right back in replacement of Pearce. Loyd has recently filled in for Ihemelu in the center, but has also played at right back for FCD this year. Jackson could also get the call if Hyndman decides that he wants Harris at right mid.
Why Not Ángel?
Word came out last week that as many as four teams were interested in trading this season for Red Bulls all-time leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel, who is apparently on the outs in New York.
Hyndman wouldn’t mind seeing the Colombian land in Frisco. Ángel has routinely punished FCD – he's scored five goals in his last four games against the Hoops – and the Dallas manager would definitely be interested in adding him if an opportunity presented itself.
“Why would you not have interest in one of the best scorers in the league?” the FCD gaffer said. "Every time he’s played us, he’s found a way to beat us, so why not join us? He would be I think an outstanding addition for us.”
Getting consistent production from the forward spot has been an issue at times in 2010 for Hyndman. Jeff Cunningham leads the team with 11 goals but most of those have come off the bench. Newcomer Milton Rodríguez has scored five times since debuting in July but has also gone long stretches without scoring.
