Daily training report
Dallas: Day 3
There’s a steady rhythm now to D.C. United as the team prepares for its final test of the preseason and the looming CONCACAF match just one week away. The business-like approach is almost required ahead of Friday’s rematch with FC Dallas at its home stadium – a veritable MLS road game. With those factors in mind, starters could see a majority of the minutes available. There are still reminders, however, that the entire 2015 MLS campaign also lies ahead; on Thursday after training Perry Kitchen, Markus Halsti and Steven Birnbaum took their long awaited turns in a marketing photo shoot. Each of the three expect to play big roles in the coming Black-and-Red campaign – on and off the field.
On the Field Highlight of the Day:
There are no complaints among the players in Dallas about the weather because they all see what is happening in Washington, D.C. But the warmth of Bradenton and Austin already seem like a distant memory, and there were an interesting variety of ways that players dealt with the cold on a windy Thursday morning. Resident Scandinavian Markus Halsti looked perfectly at ease, while Fabián Espíndola had as many layers on as possible, and Nick DeLeon hid behind giant equipment bags to stretch.
Off Field Highlight of the Day:
His 2014 season cut short by injury, Conor Doyle spent much of the latter part of the year training alone. But in Dallas this week, he’s been able to share his hometown with his fellow United teammates, and he’s been able to share his D.C. United family with his father, who has been on hand for the last two training sessions to watch his son train.
Q&A with Andrew Dykstra
DCU: Friday is the team’s final preseason game and preparation for Costa Rica. What do you all have to get out of it?
AD: We need to get our starting group together. With the first competitive game a week away we need to start solidifying our stating 11. Topping off the fitness, making sure the group is understating of their roles on and the field and things like that.
DCU: What about for you personally?
AD: As a goalkeeper, from my standpoint coming back from an injury it’s about playing quality minutes, trying my best to be perfect. It’s about trying to gain some momentum mentally going in to the season.
DCU: Speaking of the injury how’s the Achilles?
AD: It’s good. I don’t have any more pain and I haven’t as of when preseason started. The coaches all said I looked explosive in the last game and it seems like all worries regarding the Achilles are gone. I’m looking forward to getting back to DC where I can start working on the fine tuning, strength and explosiveness, that I know and I feel lacks a little bit. In the games I haven’t noticed any difference.
DCU: How’s this preseason been for you coming off the big injury last season?
AD: The first leg during Florida it was rough because I was still trying to play catch up, physically speaking. I hadn’t had the same volume of training that the other players have had for the last six months. I had to play catch up a little bit where I was trying to find my feet again, but once I got my break and came to Austin I felt like I as really falling back in to my old routine. As of now I feel pretty much normal
Notes:
David Estrada is no longer on trial with the club.
Friday’s game against FC Dallas will be streamed online at dcunited.com. The game will begin at 7:30 p.m. EST.
