The reality is tough to swallow at this point for FC Dallas.

After Saturday evening’s comprehensive 3-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders, the former Supporters' Shield frontrunners are now in the midst of a nine match winless streak and have failed to score in five straight league matches. FCD are now sitting on the outside of the MLS Cup Playoff picture with players and coaches searching for answers.

“Right now we’re going through a dry spell,” Defender George John quietly told reporters after the match. “I think you can’t point any fingers, just as a team we’re not really getting the job done. Defensively we’re not getting the job done. It’s disappointing.”

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The Dallas offense didn’t make Sounders backup keeper Marcus Hahnemann work at all on the night, as their attack did not generate a single shot on target. Coach Schellas Hyndman was confident coming into the match as he had stars John and Blas Perez back in his first eleven, but he was clearly (and understandably) upset after the match.

“I don’t think we’re in good form. I don’t think we created enough opportunities and it seems that we’re very content with keeping the ball, but not going anywhere,” said Hyndman.

“It was one of the three points we brought up and that was don’t give up an early goal, because we felt that [Seattle] was going to put us under pressure. The last thing we wanted to do was give up an early goal so that we wouldn’t be chasing the game, and we did.”

OPTA Chalkboard: FCD's high line hurts defensively, doesn't lead to offensive chances

If there was a silver lining in the game for Dallas, it was the play of recently signed attacking midfielder Mauro Diaz, who came on at the half for Je-Vaughn Watson. Diaz showed good movement and a knack for finding space while also creating FC Dallas’ best opportunity on the evening from scratch.

“I think Diaz had nice movement at the top of the box and just put it a little bit wide, but that was probably our only really good chance,” said Hyndman.