FC Dallas has been in miserable form since signing Denilson, the team’s designated player and so-called biggest signing in franchise history, posting a 1-4-1 record in its last six games. Denilson, 31, has done little aside from converting a single penalty kick, and his circus trickery, while abundant, has proven ineffective thus far. Most recently, the Brazilian World Cup winner was benched after 66 hapless minutes against Houston.
Nevertheless, Dallas will make the playoffs (barring an absolute disaster), but still, the team definitely needs to get back on track. Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup championship would be a good place to start, says the Associated Press. It would also be a good place for Denilson to start repaying some of his reported $870,000 salary. “He’s the same as everybody else,” FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow said of the Brazilian. “If I don’t think they’re doing their job on the field, somebody else will come off the bench and have a go…”
Morrow has been outspoken in his criticism of Denilson’s lack of production. The Dallas coach has accused him of preferring to display his circus tricks to making smart decisions. “We brought him here because of his ability as a player,” Morrow said. New England, meanwhile, has had FCD underneath its boot heel, winning 11 of the 14 meetings between them under Coach Steve Nicol. This season, the Revs beat Dallas, 4-2 and 1-0.