Houston Dynamo general manager and vice president Matt Jordan is a glass half-full kind of guy.
He said as much after Tuesday’s Dynamo practice.
The way this season has gone for the men in orange, being a glass half-full kind of guy might be the saving grace for Jordan and the Dynamo, who aren’t living up to expectations.
Dynamo managing partner Gabriel Brener admitted as such in a letter he penned to fans which showed his frustration with the team.
“We are not satisfied with our situation; the status quo is unacceptable, and we are taking action to improve things,” reads the letter.
But Brener also sees some positives in the current run of form for the team.
“While the record may not yet reflect the progress that has been made, we have been in every game with a chance to win them all,” the letter continues. “We have become a tough team to play against and defensively solid – like the old Dynamo.”
Despite that good defensive run of form, Houston (24 points) are still last in the Western Conference entering Wednesday’s game against the surging Seattle Sounders (7:45 p.m. CT; TICKETS), who sit on 30 points.
But Houston won’t be pushovers. Just ask the San Jose Earthquakes.
Friday’s upset win against San Jose was an example of what Jordan wants from the Dynamo the rest of the way.
“What’s important for us is that we finish the season strong. It’s that difficult balance right now – we want to finish the season strong and do well, but also we want to continue to build towards the future,” said Jordan.
“Obviously things can change very quick in MLS, especially in the West. It’s very unpredictable, so things can change very quick.”
A prime example of that is the searing-hot Sounders, who also made a midseason coaching change and have forced their way into the top 10 of this week's MLS Power Rankings on the back of a three-game win streak.
After tripping up San Jose last week, Houston – who've only lost once at home this season – will try to spring a similar surprise on Seattle.
After a rough start to the year, the Dynamo have regained their old identity: hard to play against, with stifling defense. Houston have a stingy goals-against average of 0.81 under interim head coach Wade Barrett, something Brener made sure to point out in his letter. A Dominic Kinnear disciple, Barrett addressed the Orange's defensive issues first and it's paid dividends, as the Dynamo are now 4-4-7 across all competitions since he took over for Owen Coyle.
Jordan noted that Houston have been “organized” under Barrett, praising him for bringing “continuity” to the group. Could Barrett soon have that interim tag removed?
“Our position hasn’t changed,” said Jordan. “We’re obviously going through the season and we’ll make a decision after the season.”
The next 10 games will decide how full Jordan's cup remains. Mathematically speaking, the Dynamo can still squeeze into the playoffs. But if that miraculous run doesn’t materialize, Jordan’s offseason work begins sooner rather than later.
