ASN: Hedges and Zimmerman Give FC Dallas Regular Core

The central defenders have shaped a rock-solid partnership in 2016, giving a shorthanded FC Dallas squad confidence that it could actually push ahead and compete for the MLS championship.

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
October 30, 2016
6:25 AM

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FC DALLAS has had loads of success this yr but it surely has been something however a easy experience as accidents and participant departures have plagued the squad. However an enormous cause why the membership has succeeded in 2016 and nonetheless stays assured in its pursuit of MLS Cup is its all-American central protection tandem of Matt Hedges and Walker Zimmerman.

In the beginning of the 2016 season many anticipated FC Dallas to be among the many finest groups within the league however halfway by the yr, Greatest XI winger Fabian Castillo packed up and left for Turkey. Then, within the second-to-last recreation of the common season, the membership misplaced MVP candidate Mauro Diaz for eight months to a torn Achilles tendon. That didn’t cease Oscar Pareja’s group from profitable the U.S. Open Cup, the Supporters’ Defend, and securing a spot within the CONCACAF Champions League.

As the highest total seed, FC Dallas will open its MLS Cup playoffs on Sunday evening (9:30pm ET, Fox Sports activities 1) in opposition to the surging Seattle Sounders. The lack of Diaz is a big issue and offense will likely be more durable to return by. As Dallas goals to turn into the primary group in league historical past to win “the Treble,” MLS Cup will now be the hardest leg.

“There is definitely going to be more pressure without those guys,” the 26-year-old Hedges instructed American Soccer Now. “Mauro created a ton of chances and we probably won’t get as many opportunities because of that. On the backline, we’re definitely going to have to step up and keep more shutouts and give up less goals. Especially in the playoffs, that is how it is anyway. It’s a little more defensive and there is a lot more on the line each game.”

The Hedges/Zimmerman pairing has been immense for Dallas and is maybe one of the best in MLS. Hedges, the group’s captain since 2014, is a robust contender to be named 2016 MLS Defender of the 12 months whereas Zimmerman has been one of many league’s breakout gamers this yr. Due largely to their partnership, FC Dallas stays optimistic regardless of the lack of key gamers.

The statistics are eye opening. Hedges and Zimmerman have every handled accidents however managed to start out 23 MLS video games collectively. In these video games, the group has earned 11 clear sheets and 7 occasions they conceded only one aim. FC Dallas has outscored its opponents 34-20 (which incorporates an inexplicable 5-0 early season loss to final place Houston—a real outlier).

Zimmerman, 23, amassed 2,700 minutes this season (greater than double his 2015 whole) and turn into probably the greatest aerial threats in MLS each defensively and offensively—the place he notched 4 targets and was significantly adept at clearances.

The Georgia native cites the chemistry he has with Hedges as a key think about his improvement.

“We’ve definitely grown a lot over the course of this year in what is our first year full-time starting together,” Zimmerman mentioned. “To get a constant run of video games has constructed up an enormous chemistry. For instance, within the video games we will likely be actually focusing in on our communication. Even when nothing is going on, we’re staying tuned in and speaking about sure performs whereas we’re on the sector—not ready till after the sport. We’re all the time sorting issues out. We’re beginning to construct extra chemistry off the sector as effectively and spending extra time collectively – and making that an intentional a part of our schedule.

“The level of trust we have with one another allows you to play on your best level. Having him trust me and me trusting him, we want to take of each other on the field—like covering and communicating. That’s the biggest thing, just building that level of trust and communication.”

Goalkeeper Chris Seitz has had a entrance row seat as Hedges and Zimmerman cemented their partnership this season. Towards Seattle and within the playoffs typically, he believes that the pair will give FC Dallas an enormous benefit. 

“They have a good ebb and flow,” Seitz mentioned. “Matt is a little more aggressive entering into the midfield and checking again. Walker is clearly a little bit of an animal within the air. They each have good velocity and so they know one another’s tendencies very well. Pay attention, they’ve been an enormous a part of our success this yr.

“It’s a cliché, however protection wins championships. We’re going to must get clear sheets on the highway. You must have a look at the quantity of pictures we’ve given up this yr, which is few. And it begins with these two guys.”

FC Dallas is a close-knit group, with most of the core gamers having been collectively for years. Many gamers have been developed internally by its academy which has been among the many league’s finest. A number of different gamers like Hedges and Zimmerman had been draft picks. Hedges was taken with the eleventh total decide of the 2012 draft and Zimmerman was claimed the next yr with the seventh decide of the primary spherical.

Dallas is the youngest group within the league and Pareja has molded it right into a profitable group that has been regularly bettering in recent times. Now the 2016 MLS Coach of the 12 months candidate acknowledges the difficulties the group faces with out Diaz and Castillo but additionally maintains the boldness that the remainder of the group shares.

However because the strain is turned up, he believes that Hedges and Zimmerman will assist the group discover methods to win, each offensively and defensively.

“I think Walker this year has done an incredible job staying in the field and Matt has been very solid too,” Pareja mentioned. “It’s obvious from the absence of players that have been with us the whole year, it presents a different type of game for us. It’s time to adjust. For sure the pressure is going to come on the centerbacks. For Walker and Matt, they understand they are the key players—not just for central defense but also in the attacking phase. They have done a remarkable job to keep us in the game when set pieces come up. If we’re going to have some difficulties trying to score after the absence of Mauro, Walker and Matt can help us there too. We just have to find different ways.”

Speaking to folks across the group, Hedges and Zimmerman are united of their pursuit of finishing the Treble and cementing the group’s standing by having one of the best season any American soccer group has ever had.

“It’s extremely important to our club and it is something we talked about the whole year: trophies,” Zimmerman mentioned. “It’s what we want and it’s what professional sports are all about. We have two but we know we are capable of even more.”

Hedges agrees. 

“We’re extremely confident,” he mentioned. “We know that the guys we have that will come in are totally capable of doing the job. Especially in the backline where we’ve been playing our best soccer over the past few weeks.”