Houston Dynamo: 5 Key Questions Heading Into Training Camp
By Hal Kaiser
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
5. Where will the goals come from?
This time last year there was discussion of Will Bruin having a 25 goal season and Omar Cummings being key to the Dynamo attack, providing the threat that would pull defenders away from Bruin. Instead, Cummings missed most of the season with injury and Will Bruin had a disappointing year, missing sitters with greater frequency than he scored goals. Bruin bagged only 8 goals during the regular season, 25% of those coming in a single early season game against DC United. Meanwhile, MLS statistics credit him with 17 quality chances missed.
In the absence of Cummings, and with Brian Ching’s knees unable to withstand the rigors of a full 90 minutes, Giles Barnes was thrust into the unfamiliar role of forward and performed admirably, leading the Dynamo in goals scored during the regular season with 9. Still, his natural calling as a midfielder often resulted in him dropping too deep to be consistently effective as a forward alongside Bruin.
The lone off-season addition to the forward corps has been Mark Sherrod, taken in the 2nd round of the Superdraft. It is unlikely that he will see much playing time with the Dynamo this season and he, along with Bryan Salazar, is a strong candidate to be sent out on loan to Pittsburgh. Barring a key addition during training camp, this has to be the position of biggest concern for Dynamo fans and one that we will all be watching closely over the next month-and-a-half leading up to the start of the regular season.
Omar Cummings had a positive impact for the Dynamo during the playoffs last season, will he remain healthy enough to become a starter? If so, does the presence of a more natural strike partner result in a more effective Will Bruin? Bruin is clearly the player most in the hot seat on the Dynamo roster. He cannot have another season like 2013 and continue to be viewed as starter.
Training camp will answer two secondary questions here: does Barnes remain a part of the forward mix or will he be shifted back to attacking midfield, and how does Jason Johnson fit into the squad? Johnson showed flashes during 2013 as a rookie, can he make the kind of progress that Bruin made between his rookie and sophomore seasons? If so, he becomes the dark horse impact player up front.
One possible addition between now and the start of the season is Calen Carr. Carr remains out of contract after missing the entire 2013 season due to an injury sustained in the 2012 MLS Cup Final. He featured in the Brian Ching testimonial match and showed flashes of his old self. The Dynamo could still bring him back under the right contract structure if no other teams show interest. A Calen Carr playing anywhere near his 2012 form would provide a major uplift to the team in 2014.
Let us hear from you in the comment section below. What will you be looking at during the next month plus? What are your biggest concerns as training camp begins? Let us know in the comment section below.