Written by Sam Mbonu
Houston Dynamo manager, Ben Olsen has described MLS new franchise, San Diego FC as a difficult opponent to go against ahead of their western conference clash at Snapdragon Stadium on MLS match day 22.
“They are collective, this is not stop Gabriel Perc and you win this game type of situation. They are a unit, they are collective in particular on the offensive side, this is about short passes and building the game and they understand also when to play direct and they suck in, they bait you and they are a very difficult opponent to go against” he reiterated.
Speaking further at the pre-match media parley, Ben Olsen said he is impressed with what the franchise has done in such a short time.
“I have been very impressed with what he has done, i have been very impressed with the franchise itself and we are looking forward to go in there” he added.
The Dynamo head coach said his team needs competition to bring out the best from the players.
“Is a fine balance, you need competition and you also need rhythm and the only way to get rhythm is playing people in the same spot game after game so you can build with little many relations around the field, wide back, wide midfielder, 9 and 10, like midfield relationships, center backs is the one that has been a constant revolving door, so competition is good but at some point we need to find who we are at our best but I have voiced my frustration in the last two months on not having that consistency whether is guys coming back from injury, whether is incorporating some of these new guys, the more injuries you get the more guys playing different roles, so is a lot of moving parts and that's good to have versatility in guys that can do that but ultimately we need to find the best group and put them on the field together for a weeks in a row so we can be our best” he emphasized.
Olsen also elaborated on the challenges the team has faced this season.
“Staffs sees it and I think the players see light at the end of the tunnel and I think they understand some of the challenges that we faced this year and you guys don't even know some those challenges, some of them were internal but we see a group out there that is talented enough and when we finally put these things together I think we gonna have a chance, maybe at this point our expectation have changed from the beginning of the season, will we finish top three, probably not but can we get into the playoffs, certainly is doable those are now the expectations and that's what we are striving for” and once we in there we try to keep moving up, so we have faith , the spirit is good, the culture is solid and we gonna add some pieces in the summer, we get Jack back, he is certainly a piece we have been missing and some of the frustration of not having the same team over and over again, injuries and now Erik, that has not been the easiest challenge for this group” he said.
Olsen also said that the growth of Jack McGlynn is also the growth of the team as he addresses the rumors of the USMNT midfielder getting an improved contract with the team.
“As Jack grows, we gonna grow right, a new contract will be great if this rumors are true to keep him here because we believe in him, his qualities”
Houston will travel to Snapdragon stadium to face San Diego FC who are top of the western conference table on match day 22, while San Diego are top of the western conference table, it is a sharp contrast in performance for their visitors who just snapped a three game losing streak with a hard fought 1-0 home win over struggling St Louis City FC on match day 21.
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