Midfield positions among question marks for Houston
Club looks to a trio of players to step up

01/28/2010
By Jonathan Yardley / HoustonDynamo.com

With the Dynamo's preseason trainingset to start on Monday, there remain plenty of questions for Dominic Kinnear and his troops to answer. Here's the first in a two-part look at some of the issues facing Houston in 2010:

1. Attacking midfield
Stuart Holden's move to Bolton Wanderers was the story off the offseason, and the Dynamo have been in the market for a replacement most of the month. Signs point toward the Dynamo looking overseas or south of the border to fill this spot, with Canadian midfielder Patrice Bernier -- currently in Scandinavia -- the most recent name to be linked with the club. While the club is actively searching for a replacement, history has shown that the Dynamo will be patient in search of the right fit. The Dynamo have traditionally come up with high-impact, mid-season signings such as Richard Mulrooney, Nate Jaqua, Joseph Ngwenya, and Cam Weaver. The club can continue to be patient due to the quality of the midfield options already in place. Among them: Brad Davis played in the middle at times last year, shooting from distance for a goal against San Jose and hitting the crossbar against D.C. United. He has a tendency to pinch in from the left wing, so it might seem like a natural fit, but Kinnear has shown a preference for keeping Davis wide, where his pinpoint delivery can do the most damage.

Geoff Cameron played attacking mid against Toronto and New England last year while Holden was on national team duty, and his marauding runs from the right in Champions League play in the fall of 2008 are among the reasons Kinnear prefers Cameron in a midfield slot.

The other main in-house option is Richard Mulrooney, who could pair with Cameron in the middle to present more of a flat midfield shape than the diamond the Dynamo have used throughout their short history. Mulrooney was one of the league's top midfielders earlier in his career and was a key part of the Dynamo offense even as a right back in the early part of 2009. His recovery from knee surgery, however, is the key to this option.

2. Defensive midfield
This spot may actually be more important than the offensive midfield spot. The Dynamo have always preached a team defensive philosophy that includes the midfield, and Ricardo Clark was a huge part of that over the last four years. Both Dynamo championships, however, were won with Clark watching from the stands, so they have dealt without him in the past.

Cameron seems the logical and likely solution here, having played defensive midfield three times in MLS games down the stretch last year after Mulrooney was hurt and numerous other times in international competition. Kinnear has repeatedly stated he believes Cameron's best spot is in midfield, and the Dynamo's depth on defense should allow Kinnear the option of sliding the third-year player, an MLS Best XI selection as a defender last year, farther up the field.

If another injury befalls the back line, Mulrooney is plenty capable as a defensive midfielder, having played there during the 2007 MLS Cup run and one of the Dynamo's best stretches last season, a 3-0-1 stretch that included wins over first-place Chicago and Chivas USA. Once again, however, the Dynamo will have to wait and see how he comes back from knee surgery.

Finally, Kevin Harmse is the latest acquisition by the Dynamo. Experienced in MLS and at the international level, Harmse has a reputation for physicality and could provide a youthful option in the middle of the park. He has not played a competitive match since June, so his form will be something to watch next week.

3. Developmental slots
One of the most interesting and unknown issues for the Dynamo comes with their developmental roster slots. Two are currently occupied with home-grown goalkeeper Tyler Deric and Generation adidas midfielder Danny Cruz both entering their second year. The other two spots are open at the moment. The candidates to fill them?

David Walker: The Dynamo's first pick in the MLS SuperDraft, albeit in the third round, Walker is a forward from UCSB with good wheels. Since the Dynamo are loaded up top, Kinnear may try Walker in a wide midfield spot - of course they already have Cruz, Corey Ashe, and Erik Ustruck - in preseason. How Walker adapts may determine his role.

Samuel Appiah: Selected just three picks after Walker, the Boston University product is old for a rookie - he will turn 25 in March - but may fit the Dynamo's needs a little better. He can play anywhere in the midfield and was plenty durable in college, playing in every game over his four-year career. Another player with speed, he is one to watch in training camp.

Euan Holden: The Dynamo's fourth-round draft pick is a local boy, of course, having helped Fort Bend Clements to the UIL 5A semifinals in 2006, and is the younger brother of departed midfielder Stuart. The younger Holden is also in Europe at the moment, but if and when he reports to Dynamo camp, his chances may depend on his versatility, given the Dynamo's experience and depth at his normal outside back position.

Francisco Navas: The biggest wildcard of the bunch, this 18-year-old has been lighting up Texas youth clubs with the Dynamo Academy since September, impressing as an attacking wing in a 4-3-3 formation. Having spent the last seven years in Colombia, the Houston native has quickness and ball skills that have earned him a trial with the first team, but he will have to deal with older, bigger opponents to earn a spot.