FRISCO, Texas – While depth at midfielder and forward has been a big asset for FC Dallas this season, the same cannot be necessarily said on the back end of the field.
That lack of depth could potentially be tested on Saturday against the LA Galaxy (8:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE), as starting center backs Matt Hedges and Zach Loyd are nursing a hamstring and leg injury, respectively, with both missing training time this week.
“Those two guys are huge for the team,” outside back Moises Hernandez told MLSsoccer.com. “The back four, we kind of have a structure already. But if those guys are not able to go on Saturday, we have other guys that can fill in.”
Those potentially being counted on to fill in for Hedges and Loyd include Je-Vaughn Watson, youngster Walker Zimmerman and Atiba Harris. Those options alone present a unique challenge for Dallas, as both Watson and Harris have a tendency to draw cards. Harris leads the team with three yellows.
Regardless, integrating new center-back starters in front of relatively new goalkeeper in Dan Kennedy, who has only started two games with Dallas since his offseason arrival from Chivas USA, will require even more emphasis on communication.
But Hernandez, who has started all seven of the games he has played this season, is confident in whoever steps in to fill their void.
“We’ve got to talk to each other. That’s the hugest part of it – talking to each other consistently,” Hernandez said. “So it’s better that we talk to each other and get on the same page, and I’m pretty sure we’ll do the right thing and get a shutout.”
In the one game that Hedges missed this season, the Dallas defense looked disheveled at best, giving up four goals to the Colorado Rapids. That’s half of the total number of goals (eight) that Colorado have scored all season.
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Staying true to form, though, head coach Oscar Pareja is viewing the situation with a glass half-full mentality.
“We see it as an opportunity for the next players to step up,” Pareja told MLSSoccer.com.
The loss of Hedges means more than just losing one of the better center backs in the league. Hedges is team captain, and while he is mild-mannered off the field, he is one of the team’s most vocal presences on the pitch.
Still, Pareja believes his team is chock full of leaders that step up on a regular basis.
“We’re talking about Blas [Perez]. We’re talking about Victor [Ulloa] growing in that role. We’re talking about Je-Vaughn Watson, who is growing also with responsibilities on the field. Dan Kennedy is helping us. Chris Seitz is helping us,” Pareja said. “So I see that leadership spread out pretty well throughout the team. I don’t think we depend on one guy.”
And while many would see the two injuries as a major obstacle, Hernandez remains confident that his defensive mates will step up.
“It’s not a challenge at all,” Hernandez said. "It’s what we do. We’re pros. It just comes natural to us. We’re just going to listen because that what we do as a back four. We’re here to keep a clean sheet.”
