As Oscar Boniek Garcia reports for duty at BBVA Compass Stadium, I’m wondering three things today about the Dynamo’s new DP midfielder.
First) Where will the man play?
I assume it’s along the right, although Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear has mentioned the possibility of deploying him centrally.
Seems to me that the talented Honduran international can solve the riddle of the right side, a place of discontent lately in the land of Orange. No one in Houston has made this his position since Brian Mullan’s 2010 departure.
Colin Clark landed at Robertson Stadium in 2010, having arrived from Colorado in the Mullan trade but coming off an ACL injury.
Clark has never really looked the same, unable to attack defenders with the same speed and aggressive nature. So the position toggled last year between Clark and Danny Cruz. Cruz looked something like a Brian Mullan starter kit, still raw but equipped with equal measures of bite and desire. He did lack a little of Mullan’s technical ability (although Cruz is still just 22 years old, so there seemed to be time to polish up weaker areas).
Either way, the Dynamo moved Cruz to D.C. United in the offseason, so he was no longer an option.
This year it had been Calen Carr lately along the right, although the former Chicago Fire attacker always looks more like a forward than a midfielder. (Plus, he’s injured now.)
So, yes, Boniek Garcia at right midfielder for me.
Second) Can this make Brad Davis even more effective? He tends to drift inside a lot, so this could open space in there if teams must pay more attention to a right-sided threat.
Third) Does Boniek Garcia know of the legend and misadventure of Luis Angel Landin? And might fan reaction to the Dynamo’s second spin on the Designated Player wheel be affected in any way by said legend and misadventure?
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USA Today reports LA Galaxy trade Mike Magee for rights to Robbie Rogers
May 24, 2013, 9:29 PM EDT
In a mind-blowing move, USA Today have reported the LA Galaxy have sent a player to the Chicago Fire in exchange for the rights to Robbie Rogers.
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Getty Images
Internazionale officially announced they have sacked Andrea Stramaccioni and hired the former Napoli boss.
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AP
Tony Fernandes has finally taken some blame for the relegation of QPR instead of shedding it left and right.
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Getty Images
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed Chelsea interm manager Rafa Benitez is set to move to Serie A on a 2-year deal with Napoli.
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USMNT forward Terrence Boyd on ex-club Borussia Dortmund’s UCL charge
May 24, 2013, 3:00 PM EDT
Getty Images
Boyd left Dortmund last season, so is a USMNT player destined to never play in a Champions League final?
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Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen’s new book reveals past life as gambling addict
May 24, 2013, 2:50 PM EDT
Who knew that Jimmy Nielsen’s burst of white hair wasn’t the craziest thing about Sporting Kansas City’s talented goalkeeper?
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Further MLS attachment to the English Premier League is a good thing … right?
May 24, 2013, 2:45 PM EDT
A blog post in the New Yorker looks at another side to this week’s huge expansion news:
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Getty Images
Both teams are on streaks of success – even if “success” look so radically different in the two camps:
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German invasion of London begins as fans of Munich, Dortmund descend on Wembley
May 24, 2013, 1:56 PM EDT
AP
See the sights around London, as Wembley Stadium welcomes German fans in abundance.
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Champions League final preview: A bitter rivalry with much higher stakes
May 24, 2013, 1:30 PM EDT
Reuters
When Bayern Munich face Borussia Dortmund tomorrow at 2:45 ET at Wembley, they won’t be playing for the right to be recognized as permanent contenders. They’ve already done that.
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Are AS Monaco the real deal after signing Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez?
May 24, 2013, 1:13 PM EDT
Reuters
Monaco’s Russian oligarch owner is splashing the cash to bring Champions League success, can they do it?
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With MLS expansion done for now, where the league priorities should land
May 24, 2013, 1:00 PM EDT
We have five suggestions as MLS pivots its enhancement efforts away from expansion:
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Minnows Gibraltar officially join UEFA… but why are Spain mad?
May 24, 2013, 12:32 PM EDT
Reuters
Looking behind the incredible story of the tiny rock in the Mediterranean, that can now take on the giants of European soccer
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Champions League Final: Key battles for Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich
May 24, 2013, 11:38 AM EDT
Which individual battles will determine which side lifts the UEFA Champions League trophy at Wembley on Saturday?
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Courtesy of MySanAntonio.com
We take a look at which US cities deserve an MLS expansion franchise and how close they are to getting it. Thoughts?

