The MLS season is entering its home stretch and the playoff races are heating up. In the Eastern Conference, Toronto FC seems to be in control of things, leading the league and the conference with 50 points.

The West is a different story. 4 points separate third place from seventh, and only 7 points separate first from seventh.

While a fixture against Houston is always a big occasion for FC Dallas, this match has much higher implications than El Capitan.

The playoff race is heating up and FC Dallas’ performances lately have been a worrying sign.

It started with a 4-0 defeat against Vancouver, which was an embarrassing defeat in Frisco where the team has shown dominance over the past few years. After that game, people thought it was an anomaly; the team had a bad game, that was it. It wouldn’t happen again.

The team then traveled to Philadelphia in hopes of coming back with a point or three. They were defeated badly once again, down 3-0 at one point before pulling one back to lose 3-1. Another game that the team was dominated by their counterpart.

Suddenly, you started to sense some questioning. Was there a system issue? Did the team play better in the 4-4-2, which they used when Mauro Diaz was out with injury? Did the defense need an overhaul?

We saw that addressed in the next match against Colorado. In theory, the game should have been a relatively routine win. At the time, the Rapids were the worst road team in MLS, only earning one point in nine attempts. They were also the worst team in the Western Conference. Some lineup changes were made; the team went with the 4-4-2. Diaz was sent to the bench, Walker Zimmerman was replaced by Atiba Harris, and the team hoped to regain some of the offensive magic it had.

The result? A scoreless draw at home against the league’s worst road team. Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni was sacked in a few days after. Dallas held a 28-5 shot advantage and could not get on the scoreboard.

Finally, the Huntsmen (thanks, Peter) took on Kansas City on the road. Playing against the West’s best during a slump may not be the best recipe for success, as the team played what many called a ‘depressing’ performance in a 2-0 defeat.

A team can have losses and encouraging performances. Chicago’s loss against Toronto was still encouraging for a team that is also slumping. Dallas is just looking bland, lacking offensive creativity. They’ve tried multiple options, including switching formations and putting player maker Diaz on the bench in hopes of finding an offensive spark. But the worrying sign is even with Diaz the team struggle offensively. The once hot Roland Lamah has cooled down. Tesho Akindele’s rookie of the year award seems to be long ago. Cristian Colman finally broke the goal curse, but hasn’t scored since. His runs have been positive, but the end result has been what’s lacking for the Paraguayan.

Maybe the team needs a youth injection; maybe inserting Homegrowns such as Paxton Pomykal or Jesus Ferreira into the starting lineup for 60 minutes before subbing in Michael Barrios or an experience veteran may be the way to go. Why not give them a chance in this slump? FC Dallas has always been the team that plays the youth right?

Okay, realistically that may not be the best option in a crucial rivalry match. You gotta go with experience, but what will it be Wednesday? A return to the 4-2-3-1, which Oscar Pareja calls a 4-2-4? Or will Dallas change it up completely, maybe going to a three backline?

Whatever happens, make no question about it. Even with the MLS playoff system and how it’s structured, this Texas Derby is a crucial game for Dallas. They need to end this slump and take advantage of the games in hand. If they win their two games in hand, they could potentially be on top of the Western Conference.

But that’s only if they take advantage, because what’s the value of games in hand when you can’t take full advantage of them?

So be prepared for a huge derby match, especially with Houston’s current standing.

It’s games like these that make or break a season.