Houston Dynamo FC HC Ben Olsen Previews Match v Toronto FC. 8/23/24

for jumping on Zoom we got a few questions here in your room but Ben just to start um your thoughts after a bit of a break after leags cup uh how's the team looking getting ready for the last 10 games of season here PL plenty of time to train and plenty of time to rest and plenty of time to overthink and it's just nice to get back to some soccer and and league play uh looking forward to it I know the guys are you know it was a long 15 days I think think anybody that has a by we um you know comes out of the the the first week really look fortunate that there's a kind of a shiny object uh at the end of the week to to prepare for uh but our by- weeks are pretty standard we have a nice formula we we've done them enough over the last year and a half where we have a good Rhythm for that and nice Cadence so uh we're healthy and we are looking forward to playing at home we understand 10 games left uh a lot to play for we're in an okay spot but certainly want to move forward not backwards and it all starts here with uh playing against a good team in Toronto uh some obviously world class individuals on the team and uh a real Collective group tough to break down uh and um again they got a lot to play for as well thank you all right we start with Hermon go ahead hey man good to see again how are you uh just want to close the page on leagues cup you've had time to look at tape uh what positives from the tournament can you gain I'm not talking about you really want to talk about League's cup I thought there was good positives from the there were yeah I thought the Dynamo implemented their style against theca a quality team and what positives can you use to as you go on this stretch in ml okay um chemistry I it's I I'm so this week is so been you know Forward Thinking uh we really kind of put that uh put that to bed a while ago um but if if you really want to go back there uh it was a it was a good tournament we were up against it against Salt Lake and we had to uh push and and win in a certain way and we did that and emphatic way and it was that was fun to move past that that's what we wanted to do and certainly then it was Game to game and we we played a I thought a hell of a game against TCA I thought we played really well I thought we stifled him for much of the game but you got to see it out and so we learned that lesson that you know it does doesn't matter if you play well uh it's about winning and that so so little bit more focused maybe some setpiece adjustments and and dialing in on some of the details that are going to matter over the LA uh last 10 games and hopefully into the playoffs so those little moments whether it's a setpiece whether it's uh coaches learning some you know our tactical adjustments are they the right ones and so uh we're always learning leagues cup doesn't separate uh in any way from the two games before that in regular play uh in League Play that we're just always learning about ourselves and and uh you know trying to understand when we're at our best and try to get them there all right perfect and looking forward uh to your point uh Toronto like you mentioned two world class uh individuals on each end they to play very wide so does the Dynamo tell me more about Toronto what can you can expect and they're fighting for their playoff yeah well so are we right so so so are we everybody at this point that's not uh you lafc or some of these other teams Cincinnati we're all fighting for our playoffs lives uh uh yeah some there there there's a nice balance of kind of improv uh because of some of the of the players you mentioned uh and and just high-end quality in moments and for them to kind of change the game uh but then they they have a real clear way of going about things whether it's defensively and then and they've tweaked at times but uh so again they have a nice a nice structure about them but also within that there's some some improv and some uh Freedom that he gives them to cause cause uh cause problems so uh we have to we we don't have to do anything that different but you know we've got some tweaks because of of they got some things that little wrinkles that we got to take care of uh but they're a good team they're a good team and uh again they're uh you know the width with berneski insign and Lara who's a you know a very experienced International who always gives teams fits uh solid Midfield you know a good backline you know they bounced in in from four and five backs and so they can throw a bunch of different looks at you and my last question is had the opportunity to watch the team warm up this morning couldn't help but notice that was not out there you have any update on his injury or availability well if you're going to report that coko was not out there today it's that's not a good sign for him to start tomorrow uh so we'll see maybe there be a miraculous recovery tonight and and he'll be available but he'll get there he'll get there thank you man good coach like mentioned earlier last 10 games of the Season still fighting for that playoff Squad you guys are currently sitting six got a pretty tough schedule depending how how you view it I view it as a very tough schedule yeah you want to play top four uh just for home game Advantage what does it mean to you to finish off yeah I think everybody's in the same boat at this point in the season you know League's cup is closed uh for the most most teams and and now it's about everyone kind of has an idea of who they are and everyone has an idea of who the opponent is at this point there's enough enough data and and kind of um history on teams that you have a good feel for so you going have to be at your best and uh we're going have to I keep saying we're going to have to be the best versions of ourselves over the next 10 games uh to accomplish our goal and it's obviously the postseason but also you know if we can do that uh creep up and and get some home games uh as we we like playing here and so that those are kind of the two initial tasks and then we'll take uh if if we're if we get in then then we we'll take the postseason as it comes but just the best version of our and we understand kind of behind the scenes what that is uh and when we falter uh some areas of improvement have to be certainly set pieces um seeing how games uh you know uh from a coaching standpoint tactical adjustments and figuring out our substitution patterns even now that we have two new guys uh figuring out how to you know continue to incorporate Lawrence and and and build uh utilize Pon in the best way possible and for his teammates to build continue to build relationships with him on the field and find find him uh the success that you know I think he deserves for the the amount of running and and the availability that he gives us so uh yeah this that's that's about it in the nutshell I know we spoke prior to last game you mentioned it once again and how how have they been integrated more and more into the squad how confident with them was the relationship with them with two weeks you know really helps you know it was nice that they got some um some games here in leagues cup and then you have two weeks of training uh to kind of get back to you know our principles and and again trying to be the best version of ourselves and and again reminding guys who we are uh and and how we build how we defend uh you know what are the things that are are maybe lacking that we need to work on and and hammering home some of again the things that we do well and making sure they understand that uh that has to continue and we have to continue to remind them so they've been a part of that uh they get a little extra treatment with individual meetings and things to speed that process up as we're reminding everybody else of of of of who we are so yeah and then it's the games really like yeah you can do that all you want but it's about logging minutes in the games in the real moments at that real speed against opposition that the real growth happens I think well we gota you know Pon that's going to happen every time we play he's going to be in there and he's going to grow with these guys and you can see each game he's moving in the right direction he's scoring goals uh he's the relationships are building every minute he's out there anali's coming in and causing a real spark for uh for us and you see his qualities offensively still catching him up now uh when we don't have the ball exactly how he can contribute to the team but he's a great kid and he's um he's uh he's nasty he's clean he's you know he's got a he's just very well-rounded for a young player and he's he's an exciting piece for us and it's up to us to really incorporate him in and get him to where he wants to be cool we'll jump to zoom Dustin go ahead hey Ben welcome back thanks hey I wanted to ask you about a mean his numbers he's up there in top of MLS as far as uh creation passing and stuff him and Hector just how important has he been to what you guys do this year and how have you seen him improve since he's gotten here he's been pretty good from the gecko uh he's yeah I I don't know if it's interesting to say I he's just been once we found kind of who we were last year and kind of how we were going to to go about things it took a while but I think the the the the structure in which uh the way we defend and the way we attack is it just really suits him I think he's in a really good spot he's got a great feel for the game and where he can influence the game which Pockets he needs to find how to get out of them uh his ability to switch point of attack uh even from from lower lower phases and then also on the other side in and around the Box you know 30 in creating a pass that leads to a shot or a pass uh for the pass that leads to a shot you know I'd like him to score a little bit more I think he he's that's one area we're trying to improve him and is to he he gets a lot of looks in around the 18 so making sure he's not passing up shots but he's also a good passer so I can't blame him sometimes because as you said he's uh he's a dangerous pass so he's a real glue guy in there uh as and his relationships he build he's an easy guy to play with and when you're a player sometimes it just makes sense you know it's not about uh just you just connect and he understands players around him and uh he's a yeah I don't know how to put it other than he's just an easy guy to play with in there and then I know um with Dynamo 2 stilla had a this week um just how do you envision his U his um Improvement this we we've been watching him a lot there and that's one area that we keep pushing I know Kenny keeps pushing on them it's like you know you're so talented and you get yourself in so many good spots you're just not you know making us uh you know making my life difficult because when a kid scores a hattrick it's like okay you know uh it uh we we we hear about it and we see it and we say okay you know this is this is growth for him because he hasn't been putting up those numbers even though he's been in these good situations because he's so talented so that's a that's a great step for him and now it's sustaining that and you know when we go down when we watch D2 We want to see which guys look like professional players you should be able to separate yourself and look um uh better than a lot of the players on that field uh and if you're not scoring goals as an attacker if you're not uh being dangerous with service or if you're not having a good game and dominating forwards if you're a center back uh it's not a good sign that that's that that's part of the expectations of First Team guys going down there and when Tate Smith Goes Tate Schmidt goes down there uh or Gabe SE goes down they look like first team players and so that's that's a an important kind of factor that we speak to uh Kenny about and Kenny is doing a great job down there you know the results don't always go your way but again for all the things that you have to deal with as a D2 coach they're one of the youngest U they they've put one of the youngest teams in the league on the field consistently as every time I go there there's a new 16-year-old or 15y old getting his debut so it's great it's a it's a great U it's a great platform for the young kids and it's a great platform for our guys to come down and and get minutes when they need so uh it's a it's a very healthy relationship thanks man all right Joey go ahead hey Ben with the analie coming in and now the permanent transfer for xon rzu you guys seem to be really spoiled with these young Wingers how important is it for their development to have four young Wingers all competing for one spot on the team well are are you adding Nelson in there yeah Nelson yeah well Nelson's out for the rest of the year exxon's out for the rest of the year so I wouldn't get not for the rest of the year but for quite a while right potentially rest of the year so I wouldn't get caught up too much in the um the numbers there you know some of those guys will are still just because they're signed to us doesn't mean they're ready to be a starter next year right some of this is is timing and some are going to come in and some will still play with D2 next year uh so we'll figure it out it's but it's nice to have a real stable of attacking players that um that we believe in and are young so you you're you're right it's now it's uh on us to cultivate that and make sure they're getting the minutes and they're growing so they can help the first team and anali's you know Nelson um obviously Ibrahim is still a young Winger as well exxon's in a little bit of a different uh realm of those guys he's still a young kid that's going to still I I feel like next year potentially going to get some D2 Gam games and continue to grow especially with that crew in front of them however you know in preseason if Exon shows that he can leap frog one of those guys this is this is life this is pro soccer with all these young Wingers and where does that put a guy like McKenzie games who hasn't gotten a ton of time with the team this year um you know McKenzie you know we haven't showed enough faith in McKenzie uh you know in particularly as an comes in here um obviously you I've been using him over McKenzie but McKenzie is a really good player and again he's another guy that um can help us and you just don't know you know it's a very difficult thing as a coach to keep a guy not from not getting minutes uh especially a guy like him at the age he is he's experienced uh so it's hard so you try to have be honest and have good conversations and you keep him engaged because I've been doing this long enough and um it happens that quick where one guy goes down and all of a sudden you come in and you do a job and then uh you know things change fortunes change really quickly in this league uh injuries come form goes uh so you just got to again try to stay stay um uh sharp in his training habits and he's been great he's been great on the field he works his ass off every day so uh I know if we need to use him he's he's ready to roll