2023 Dynamo Position Groups: Midfielders
(image via Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports)
Last season the Houston Dynamo midfield was amongst the weakest in MLS. The team ranked 17th in possession and often gave opposing team’s playmakers the freedom to attack the backline at will. On the offensive end, Coco Carrasquilla was the only midfielder to score any goals the entire season, finishing with two. Even when Hector Herrera came into the team, the midfield still never really got going. Pat Onstad did address this issue massively, declining the options for Darwin Ceren and Memo Rodriguez then loaning out Matias Vera back to Argentina. Hopefully these past seasons of poor midfield play are behind the Dynamo, so let’s talk about the returning players and the new additions that will make up the midfield this season.
Artur
Artur comes in as what might be the most impactful new addition to the roster this season. The Brazilian has spent the last six seasons of his career playing for the Columbus Crew, winning an MLS Cup in 2020. He spent most of his years in Columbus in a double pivot midfield partnering Will Trapp and then Darlington Nagbe. We have seen him play as the more defensive of the two when paired with Nagbe and as a distributor with Trapp. His ability to do both at a high level for many years in MLS adds a calming presence to a midfield that struggled to retain the ball and win it back with Vera/Ceren starting as the defensive midfielder last season.
Charles Auguste
Auguste is a rookie coming out of Creighton, where he played four years of college soccer. Charles started 24 games in his senior year, scoring three goals and adding three assists. He is more of an all-round midfielder who has a killer long shot that he is not afraid to show off. Being he is a rookie, don’t expect him to be more than a bench player for a good while. Hopefully his talent will shine through and get him some opportunities for minutes in the Open Cup and possibly in MLS.
Coco Carrasquilla
Coco was one of the only shining lights last season, not just in midfield, but for the whole roster. As one of the best transition midfielders in MLS this past season, his biggest challenge will be to improve his end product and ability to create in and around the box. With improvements in those areas, this can truly be his breakout season and would be the team’s most important player once again. It has been said by Pat Onstad, Asher Mendelsohn, and Olsen that Coco will feature higher up the field then last season due to Herrera and Artur’s abilities. Carrasquilla is also a key part to the way the team presses. Midfield pressing higher up the field seems to be a huge part of Olsen’s plans this season and Coco will be right at the center of it.
Juan Castilla
Castilla has really been making a name for himself over this past year, being a top performer for Dynamo 2 and becoming a regular with the U20 Colombian National Team. Like Brooklyn Raines, he is also very young and unproven at a senior level. He seems to be settling now as a defensive midfielder, but he can play just about anywhere in the midfield. Expect him to be a depth piece coming off the bench in games to bring a youthful energy to the mix. Hopefully both Castilla and Raines can develop into starters for years to come.
Hector Herrera
Coming into this season, Herrera almost feels like a new signing. Hector coming in halfway through 2022 looked good, but not great, like expected. The player was fighting injuries while having the World Cup on his mind, so he does in a way get a pass. However, there are no excuses this year. Hector needs to be a dominating midfielder in MLS or he will look like a flop signing. Head Coach Ben Olsen has said that we shouldn’t put too much stock into last season and that he is all in on the Dynamo project. While at the top of his game, Hector will be one of the best passers in MLS and create a real control to the buildup with his direct passing into the forwards and long switches of play. Hector can also add defensive protection when needed, to allow other midfielders to advance up the field.
Brooklyn Raines
Brooklyn is now finally eligible to feature full time in MLS after Homegrown rules kept him stuck in MLS NEXT Pro last season. Raines however did feature in three Open Cup games for the first team last season, so we can expect him to play a massive role in those games again this year. He can play either in Artur’s position or further up the field for Coco or Herrera. Expect him to be an important depth piece this season as he continues to develop into a star player.
While this year’s midfield group is very talented, it lacks serious depth. Artur, Coco, and Herrera is among one of the best midfield trios on paper in MLS, but if one of them goes down the Dynamo are relying on teenagers and a rookie for cover. As exciting as these young guys are, they might not be completely ready to be starting games at an MLS level. Amine Bassi is also an option to rotate into midfield, but it would be great to keep him in the attack. Even though the depth is worrying, this is still a strong group with room for further additions midseason.
