LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas Preview: Three Questions With Big D Soccer

Big match on Sunday, with sixth place FC Dallas coming into town looking to gain ground on LA. To get some insight on what's happening in the lone star state, we asked three questions of Big D Soccer's Daniel Robertson about just what lit a fire under that club's butt. As always, to see my answers to his questions head over to Big D Soccer.

1. So much has been made about Brek Shea's missed practices and general ennui. What do you think is Brek Shea's future with FC Dallas?

I think he’s got a huge future with FCD. The thing people forget is that the guy is still just 22 years old. We all go through ups and downs in our lives/work at that age and Shea has been no different. Just because he struggled in the first half of the year with about a dozen different things doesn’t mean Dallas is just going to give up on him and Shea on Dallas.

Since returning from his little hiatus, the Texan has played much, much better and in a rejuvenated squad with Ferreira, Castillo and de Guzman in the midfield, he’s not the only option anymore to be counted on and it’s showed. He’s been good recently playing as kind of the second piece to a three piece puzzle. Shea will make the run, Ferreira will find him and then Shea will find the guy in front of goal who scores. It’s happened twice in the last four weeks.

I think the most important thing for Brek is that with Ferreira playing so well, the spotlight has been taken off of him and, for better or worse, Shea doesn’t really do well as the first point of attack on a team.

2. David Ferriera has returned! How has he looked in the few games he's been back?

Wow what can this guy not do? He was the 2010 MLS MVP and if Dallas makes the playoffs he could amazingly be in the discussion for 2012 MVP.

In ten games back, Ferreira has two goals(both game-winners) and six assists to tie for the team lead. This team is simply built around him and as he’s worked his way back to full fitness he just gets better and better and better. Galaxy fans can take heart in the fact that their team has done the absolute best job in shutting down El Torito since he returned in the LA 1-0 win over Dallas where Sarvas and Juninho just hounded him all over the field and never let him get going.

If Ferreira starts to turn the swag on…well you all saw the 2010 Western Conference Final. (sorry, sorry)

3. Dallas has life again, taking over sixth place from floundering Chivas USA. What has changed over the last month to kick things into gear?

It’s just everyone picking their game up because Ferreira is back. Schellas Hyndman has said multiple times(paraphrasing) "If Ferreira can come back after 15 months out and expend so much energy on the pitch, everyone else is looking around and knows they have no excuse to not do the same thing."

FC Dallas has a 20 year old Colombian winger named Fabian Castillo who has shown flashes of greatness in the past with unreal speed and agility but never quite put it together over an extended period of time but with Ferreira back it seems like the light has turned on. Castillo has goals in his last three games, five on the season and is the youngest of the 41 MLS players with at least five goals this season.