Dynamo coach Wilmer Cabrera: 'I trust Erick Torres'

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Based on the amount of success Erick Torres had under Wilmer Cabrera's leadership three years ago, it makes sense that the Dynamo may actually be able to get something out of one of their most prized acquisitions after all.

Just don't tell that to Cabrera. The new Dynamo said he is not a 'Cubo Whisperer.'

Torres became one of MLS' and the CONCACAF region's brightest rising stars while playing for Chivas USA in 2013 and 2014. He scored 22 goals in 44 appearances. Fifteen of those goals came in 2014 when Cabrera was the coach.

Their partnership ended when the Chivas USA folded, sending Torres to the Dynamo in a $5 million transfer and Cabrera to work with FIFA and CONCACAF technical study groups.

While Cabrera bided his time to return to the coaching ranks, Torres struggled to adapt to Houston once he arrived in the summer of 2015. In 22 appearances over the last two seasons he has zero goals and one assist.

The situation grew so dire last summer that in September the Dynamo loaned Torres to Mexico's Cruz Azul FC. The LigaMX club declined the purchase option on Torres, sending him back to Houston for the 2017 season where he will make at least $575,000 as one of the team's three Designated Players.

With great salary comes great expectations, expectations many hope Torres finally achieves now that he has been reunited with Cabrera.

In his first stint in the MLS, Erick Torres, right, scored 22 goals in 44 appearances with Chivas USA in 2013 and '14 before signing with the Dynamo. In his first stint in the MLS, Erick Torres, right, scored 22 goals in 44 appearances with Chivas USA in 2013 and '14 before signing with the Dynamo. Photo: Melissa Phillip, MBI Photo: Melissa Phillip, MBI Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Dynamo coach Wilmer Cabrera: 'I trust Erick Torres' 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

"Erick knows that I trust him. I trust Erick Torres," Cabrera said this week. "I know what he is capable to do. Right now he has that confidence. He knows that I like him and I like the way he plays... I am going to try to help him and his teammates to explode his talent."

Several things that seem to have held back Torres in Houston are in the past.

When he arrived in 2015 he was only one month removed from being cleared by the District Attorney of Guadalajara of any wrongdoing after he was accused of sexual assault.

In the 2016 preseason he played well, but when the regular season began he all of a sudden fell out of favor of coach Owen Coyle. Coyle picked Torres for the starting XI twice during the first 12 matches and subbed him on four other times before being sacked in late May.

Not long after that Torres began a busy summer with the Mexico Olympic Team and spent much of his time flying into and out of Houston. Because interim coach Wade Barrett could not see him in training on a regular basis, he rarely picked him for the lineup.

Cabrera said this week that Torres will have ample opportunity to play in 2017.

"He needs to get his confidence back," Cabrera said. "Score one goal and everything is going to change for him. He just needs to score one goal – maybe with his neck, maybe with his heels. Maybe he just deflects a shot. That's OK. He is going to have competition, which is very positive. He is not going to be the only one on the field."

Torres also was not helped last season by the fact that Coyle and Barrett almost always started with a lone forward. That will not be the case this season with Cabrera likely picking a 4-3-3 formation with all of the attacking talent (Alberth Elis and Romell Quioto) the club acquired during the off-season.

There are plenty of signs that point to Torres having his best opportunity yet in Houston. Cabrera just doesn't want to be the one critics give the credit to.

"I am not the one who is going to change Cubo," Cabrera said. "Erick Torres is a very good and talented player, but he has to come and continue working. He is going to be able to regain his confidence by himself and will fit into the team by himself."