<p>FC Dallas was an up-and-down team last season, getting off to a slow start (remember Brek Shea as a fullback) before surging in the summer then falling off a cliff in the fall. &nbsp;The team ended the season on a whimper with a playoff loss to New York, but it was a particularly traumatic and busy season for a number of reasons:</p>
<ul>
<li>The David Ferreira injury that removed him for most of the season</li>
<li>A dramatic jump in soccer minutes for Brek Shea</li>
<li>The George John transfer drama</li>
</ul>
<div>And so on. &nbsp;It is no wonder that the team had such an up-and-down season.</div>
<p>Now as the calendar turns to 2012, Dallas has the look not only of a playoff contender but a possible MLS Cup contender. &nbsp;Consider Ferriera’s return plus Shea’s maturity as a player, and this is a dangerous team. &nbsp;However, here are some questions that need to be resolved this offseason before any MLS Cup talk can continue. &nbsp;Consider these “three questions” for Dallas:</p>
<div><strong>1. Will the midfield equal its success from 2010?</strong></div>
<div>In his MVP season, David Ferreira was a maestro. &nbsp;The way he created scoring chances for his teammates in 2010 was magnificent and he took that team to a new level. &nbsp;While they compensated for his loss last season, there’s no doubt that Ferreira at his best makes this team considerably better. &nbsp;However, he is coming off a major injury and is 32 years old. &nbsp;While he may not ever be as good as he was in 2010, how good he can still be is a good indicator of how good Dallas can be. &nbsp;Regardless, if he can even be a good player in the midfield, this is an improved team.</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div>But Ferriera is not the only question in the midfield. &nbsp;Captain Daniel Hernandez is 35 years old and certainly isn’t getting any younger. &nbsp;Shea will hopefully be around for a while longer, but will national team commitments and wooing from overseas clubs distract him? &nbsp;In short, this midfield is older and much different than the one in 2010, making it harder to equal their performance from that season. &nbsp;But an older and more mature Shea may bump them back to superiority.</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div><strong>2. Can the youngsters provide needed depth for this team?</strong></div>
<div>The Marvin Chavez trade was a befuddling one to some people but points to the fact that Schellas Hyndman may be looking to his younger players to fill in and contribute this season. &nbsp;No doubt they have young talent. &nbsp;Dallas had <a href="http://www.bigdsoccer.com/2012/1/2/2677792/fc-dallas-sending-an-mls-leading-9-players-to-us-soccer-january-camps" target="_blank"><em>nine</em>&nbsp;players</a> called up for various U.S. national teams, including four to the U-20 side. &nbsp;We’ve seen some glimpses from the younger players, including Victor Ullloa and Fabian Castillo, to suggest that younger players are ready to earn serious minutes. &nbsp;Although they are out of the Champions League, with some many players travelling to national team commitments Dallas needs to have some depth to avoid a plunge like last season towards the end.</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div><strong>3. Will a new striker step forward please?</strong></div>
<div>This one is a slam dunk for offseason questions, as in Dallas lacks experienced <em>and</em> talented forwards on their roster. &nbsp;They have talented (Ruben Luna, Castillo) forwards but do not have that rugged, proven goal scorer that make midfielders look so good. &nbsp;They’ve been linked with <a href="http://www.bigdsoccer.com/2011/12/31/2672950/report-fc-dallas-chasing-argentine-striker" target="_blank">potential</a> <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/12/29/throw-5-wild-hot-stove-offseason-predictions" target="_blank">signings</a>, but they need that guy who can get the ball in the back of the net consistently to take that next step.</div>
<div><strong><em>Update: It looks like Dallas made a move at least to address #3, <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/soccer/post/_/id/14178/fc-dallas-signs-blas-perez-and-hernan-pertuz" target="_blank">signing Blas Perez</a>. &nbsp;Is it enough, though?</em></strong></div>


Is Dallas an MLS Cup Contender? Three Questions for 2012

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Is Dallas an MLS Cup Contender? Three Questions for 2012