Chicago Fire vs. Houston Dynamo - MLS #17 - Three Questions

I chatted with Zach Woosley over at Dynamo Theory for a 3 questions exchange ahead of tomorrow night's matchup at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Fire are riding a 3 game win streak into the match and will be looking to build on that. Our questions for Dynamo Theory are below. They have not had time to get questions to me yet but if they do, I will update the article to reflect those answers.

The Fire have a chance to further climb up the standings tomorrow and try to put even more space between us and the rest of the pack. It should be a pretty good game in Houston's new stadium. Join us tomorrow for our customary gamethread to cheer on your Men in Red.

Hot Time In Old Town Asks Dynamo Theory

1. How has attendance been so far at BBVA? And has the attendance taken a hit with the published security problems some supporters have had? (via Rudy Gomez)

Attendance has been solid, tickets sales have been better. The team is consistently selling out the stadium, or getting close, but getting butts in seats is a different matter. Such is like I suppose and plenty of top level professional sports in the US sell-out and still have empty seats. It's disappointing but not the end of the world. The security issues are pretty limited to one SG and they have a long, sordid history with the team. In general, things have been fine. Even with the empty seats, the team is still getting attendance on par with Robertson and in general, better.

2. How is former Fire forward Calen Carr doing for the Dynamo? He was a bit of a fan favorite when he played for the Fire. (But we'll keep Dominic Oduro, thank you very much) (via James Coston)

Carr had been playing regularly in the right midfield spot until a hamstring injury sidelined him. Now with Boniek Garcia on board, Carr likely won't see a lot of playing time. It's a bummer, but that's how sports work. Carr has played well since coming to the team though and is a popular player by all accounts. I just wonder if his future might lie elsewhere since he's behind several players on the depth chart.

3. Who is Boniek Garcia? What impact do you think he'll have for the club? Do you think he'll be the club's biggest summer addition? (via James Coston)

Boniek Garcia is a 27-year old midfielder who can also play at right back in an emergency. He's quick on the ball, very creative and can break down defenders one-on-one with a nice combination of skill and flair. He's going to have a huge impact for the team as he plays the position we desperately needed, the right midfielder role. The Dynamo have spent the year using guys out of position in that role, so to finally have a dedicated starter to balance Brad Davis on the left side is huge. I definitely think he'll be the biggest signing for the club this summer, though you just never know with Kinnear.

Bonus Question: Talk to me about Will Bruin's progression in his sophomore season. After a seemingly up-and-down 2011, Will finally seems to be settling in nicely in Houston. How pleased have you been with his play this year and what sort of player do you think he can develop into? (via Ryan Sealock)

Will Bruin has come a long way in his season and a half in Houston. We saw signs of his talent last year, but the long grind and some injuries hampered him really settling in. After an off-season working to properly prepare for this year's campaign, Bruin was mentally and physically ready to be a key player for the Dynamo. For a stretch with Ching gone, there was going to be even more pressure on him, but fortunately we got the captain back. Ching has been a huge influence on Bruin and I give a lot of credit to him for Bruin's quick development; that and Bruin is a talented young player. I'm so excited about what we've seen from Bruin so far this year and I can't wait to see how much better he can get. I really seem him as the franchise's next Ching, in the sense he'll develop in to the face of the franchise and be our main guy on the attack. I also think he could be even better than Ching because he's capable of playing different styles. He has good speed and can attack the goal, plus he can work with his back to goal. He's just a real talent and we're thrilled he's here. Of course, he'll probably get bought by a European club before that happens, but we'll see.