OPINION: FC Dallas Depth Chart for 2023

1.21 Depth chart

FRISCO, Texas The 2023 MLS season is still more than a month away, but FC Dallas’ preseason in Frisco is in full swing. As a fun exercise, I’ll try to chart FCD depth before the club plays any pre-season matches.

As a disclaimer, this chart is purely my own speculation based on last season and FCD’s transfer moves to date. So take it with a grain of salt. I also assume head coach Nico Estevez is sticking to his favorite 4-3-3 formation. At the moment, none of the FCD SuperDraft picks have been signed, so I haven’t mentioned them yet.

Let’s have some fun!

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Goalkeepers

Barring any major surprises, the Dallas goaltending core is scheduled for 2023. Presumed starter Maarten Paes has had a fantastic debut season since joining Dallas from Utrecht a year ago. Still only 24 years old, with an extra year of experience and more familiarity with his backline, there is every reason to expect Páez to improve even further in 2023. Veteran Jimmy Maurer could have been a starter on many other MLS teams in my opinion and the FCD was lucky to push Paez to the top spot. Nineteen-year-old homegrown Antonio Carrera is a top-level prospect (who has just been called up to the U-20 USMNT) and will serve as the team’s third shot-stopper and also start for North Texas SC in MLS NEXT Pro. .

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Central defenders

This is where it gets hard. Dallas had the best defense in the Western Conference last season, but the departure of club legend Matt Hedges really shook things up. Dallas added former LAFC defenseman Sebastian Ibega from the free agent group, which I think is a smart signing. Ibegaga performed well when he was called up by the reigning MLS Cup champions, but can he step in and fill the void right away? This remains to be seen. He will compete predominantly against fourth-year CB Nkosi Tafari for a starting spot as a right centre-back, along with left Jose Martinez. If I had to guess, Tafari would have the advantage, as he has been playing with the Spaniard for two seasons. But Ibegi has the pedigree and a full preseason to make his case. However, Tafari, Ibeaga and Martinez should see plenty of playing time, especially with the addition of the League Cup. Younger center backs Amet Korca and homegrown Nolan Norris could see a few minutes in the first round of the US Open Cup but will definitely continue their development in North Texas.

Full backs

I think FCD is in great shape with their current full-backs. Marco Farfan was one of MLS’ best left backs in 2022 and is still only 24 years old. Isaiah Parker, a second-year SuperDraft drafter, spent last season at North Texas SC moving from left wing to left back. He is still young (20 years old) but has the potential to become an MLS level starter. He is a great substitute for Farfan and I expect him to make his first team debut this year. Parker may still spend some time in North Texas unless Nolan Norris (mentioned above) spends more time in LB rather than CB.

The right back position is a bit darker. Ema Twumashi battled loanee Nanu for the starting spot in 2022 with a superb performance. Dallas added Brazilian Giovane Jesus to challenge him and bolster his position. Can Twumasi win another positional fight in two seasons in a row? Again, time will tell. Giovane Jesus has had his visa process delayed and will be late for pre-season, which could give Twumasi an early start in the year. FCD Academy product Collin Smith showed great promise in North Texas in 2022, but he is only 18 years old and will likely continue his development in MLS NEXT Pro.

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Midfielders

The Dallas midfield is one of the most exciting yet controversial areas in the lineup. Paxton Pushed around is really the only successful starting player. Sebastian Lletget arrived in the middle of 2022 and continues to prove he is one of the best midfielders in the league. He’s likely to be the first pick behind Pushy, but homegrown Brandon Servania has the talent to be a starter in his own right. There’s also SuperDraft’s second-year pick, Tsiki Ntsabeleng, who performed well in his first year, often bringing sparks off the bench. This group of four gives Estevez plenty of options for his two forward midfielders.

Behind them is a bigger issue: the defensive midfielder. The role was played by a combination of homegrown Edwin Serrillo and veteran Facundo Quinnon. Serrillo started 20 games last year and Quignon started 14 (he had a brief injury midway through the year). But, importantly, Quignon got the green light for both games of the FCD playoffs. In my opinion, this is the most interesting positional fight in the new season.

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forwards

The front line is one of the most populated areas within Dallas. The undisputed forward trio of Jesús Ferreira, Paul Arriola and Alan Velasco is one of the best in the league. But this year they have a few more questions. The departures of Franco Jara, Benny Redzic and Kalil El-Medhar this offseason provide more opportunities for prospects Jose Mulato and Bernard Camungo (both signed from North Texas), as well as Jader Obrian, who was a frequent substitute last year. .

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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