2023 Houston Dynamo Season Preview
(image via Houston Dynamo FC)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before. It’s a new era for the Houston Dynamo. Let’s hope this time it sticks. The Dynamo went through an offseason of substantial turnover, bringing in a new coaching staff and 13 new players.
Houston Dynamo FC (2022: 10 wins, 6 draws, 18 losses/13th place in Western Conference)
Head coach: Ben Olsen
Key additions: M Artur, F Ivan Franco, F Amine Bassi, D Brad Smith, D Franco Escobar, F Ivan Franco
Key losses: F Fafa Picault, D Tim Parker, F Darwin Quintero, M Memo Rodriguez, M Matias Vera, D Adam Lundkvist
Projected Best XI:
Best offseason move: The Dynamo came into this offseason knowing they had to improve the attack around striker Sebastian Ferreira. The front office did just that, bringing in a number of attacking options. Paraguayan Ivan Franco joins from Ferreira’s old club Libertad and looks to link up with his old friend to spark the Dynamo front line. Moroccan playmaker Amine Bassi comes over from France after a successful spell in the English Championship with Barnsley last season. Between these two newcomers and holdover Corey Baird, the service to Ferreira should be improved, and in turn, should see an improved offense for Houston.
Biggest strength: With Hector Herrera, Coco Carrasquilla, and new signing Artur, the Houston midfield rivals almost any in Major League Soccer for talent. Artur was brought in to be a shield for the backline and give Carrasquilla and Herrera the ability to roam and create. Herrera comes in to his first full season in MLS looking for a bit of redemption. He got off to a rough start before getting injured and not risking himself ahead of Mexico’s World Cup journey. Coco could be in line for a big breakout season. The Panamanian is going to have the freedom to get into the attack and linkup play with the front three, something that suits his skillset quite well.
Biggest weakness: For as good as the Dynamo midfield is, it’s not deep. And that goes for a lot of the roster. Behind the projected starters in the midfield there are a couple of teenagers in Brooklyn Raines and Juan Castilla and a rookie in Charles Auguste. MLS veteran Luis Caicedo was signed just yesterday and should help improve that midfield group. On defense there is just one available left back to start the season with Brad Smith still rehabbing from injury and Djevencio van der Kust not yet in the country. It’s going to be a long season with added games for the new Leagues Cup. Injuries and suspensions will happen and when they do, the Dynamo will need some players to step up to the plate and keep up the level of play that the starters have.
Outlook: How good can this team be? That’s the question on everyone’s minds, right? While “playoffs or bust” is the mantra for a number of fans, I’m not sure it’s that dire this year. What is the “bust” in that scenario? They fire the front office staff? They fire the coach again? At some point the ownership of this club needs to let a rebuild happen. This time they look to have the pieces in place to begin that. This team has the ability to compete for the playoffs at the end of the season, especially with nine teams now qualifying from each conference. Will they ultimately get in? That remains to be seen but there shouldn’t be any kind of “bust” if it doesn’t happen. The lack of patience after so many futile years can definitely be understood, and a number of the fan base just isn’t ready to sit through this again. I completely get it. Also, this team is now in a position to be built, with a mostly clean slate, and that is going to take more than one year.
