FRISCO — Following the 1-1 draw against LAFC, there was disappointment in the locker room for not ending the match with three more points. But there was also a sense of pride in their ability to manage playing a man down for the majority of the game and for the movement of positions across the field.
The ability for players to fill in and change positions when needed has been a focus over the past few weeks and became a key factor in the game after Matt Hedges received a red card at the beginning of the second half.
Jesse Gonzalez noted, "It was tough, being a man down. It's always tough, but we overcame the situation and got the tie." Head coach Luchi Gonzalez said, “We want to believe that any player can create, and be dangerous offensively.” He noted that while playing a man down, the movements provided some extra tactical thinking and that Ryan Hollingshead wasn’t the only player out of his normal position.
Ryan Hollingshead has moved around the field a lot and ended up getting a goal for FC Dallas in his moved position. “We believe in what we’re doing, we believe in our style of play. Everybody has bought in, it’s just a matter of time until things start clicking.”
Bryan Reynolds also made his MLS debut in a position he hasn’t had much experience playing in. When he subbed in for Jesus Ferreira in the 89th minute, the defender came in as a midfielder. Reynolds added, “It’s good to be versatile, you don’t want to be good at just one position because you could get called up to play anywhere.”
Hollingshead and Reynolds weren’t the only ones that have moved around the field during a match and it will be something we continue to see in the future.
