The Houston Dynamo are a work in progress. Saturday night was another reminder that there’s still a ways for the team to go when it comes to the attack.
Against a Colorado Rapids team that hasn’t scored since late last season, Houston was looking to jumpstart their own attack. Despite the absence of key players due to national team duty, the Dynamo were looking for their remaining attacking options to push the game.
But after 90 hard-fought minutes, Houston was unable to get on the scoresheet.
“Yeah, I think we had a lack of chances. We did well in possession, but it was more side-to-side possession,” Dynamo forward Will Bruin said. “I don’t think we went forward with enough conviction and a 0-0 result shows it.”
The Dynamo passed and moved against a Rapids team that seemed content to defend hard and seek out the counter. The numbers behind the ball for the visitors led to six blocks on the Dynamo's 11 total shots on the evening with only two that tested Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin.
“I think we’ve got to take more chances going forward, personally,” Bruin said. “We’re all fine in possession; if you look back at that game I can only think of a handful of quality chances. We’ve got to start creating more chances and I think that’s everybody getting more creative in the final third and finding that groove.”
Added Dynamo captain Brad Davis, “At times it could have been a little bit better. We think we could be a little bit sharper in the final third.”
After the game Davis and manager Owen Coyle focused on the positives, namely that Houston continued to be stingy on the defensive end in claiming their second shutout of the season.
They also got a gutsy performance from a hobbled Ricardo Clark. Coyle admitted that he was not part of the plans coming into gameday after missing time in training with a costochondral fracture, which is where the cartilage separates from the ribs. The veteran ended up playing 68 minutes.
Clark's play and the shutout were positives for Coyle, which is sufficient for now.
“Are we disappointed not to win the game? Absolutely,” Coyle told the media. “Every game at home we want to get those three points. But there is an awful lot to be pleased about."
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
