Honestly, this amazing spring weather is going to ruin me. When "real" Texas weather gets here I'm gonna be in trouble. It's 55 degrees at the start of training.

"Denver. Gorgeous. The Sunshine State."

Head Coach Oscar Pareja gives a long talk to the team before they start so it's almost 9:50 before they start the warmup and stretching part of the session.

I got a whole lot of notes today, so let's get right to it.

Notes

Kellyn Acosta - Is 10 days away from returning to the field according to Pareja. They will gradually work him back into training sessions, but this is really good news. Today Acosta comes out and watches a bit of the session.

Mauro Diaz - Is missing today. When I asked where Diaz was, Pareja said Mauro was working outside of team training today due to the short week. Pareja is adamant this wasn't a "rest" day but is rather just a changeup in the kind of work Diaz is doing with "some different kind of stuff" and that Diaz will be back to normal tomorrow. This is actually something FCD does from time to time with players who are regular starters. Reto Ziegler, for example, did something similar yesterday, working out but not in full team training.

Jesus Ferreira - Pareja says it's good to get the core problem cleared up. Ferreira was going to play in the Dallas Cup, which would have been good, but this injury is important to get fixed.

Jesse Gonzalez - Is doing better, according to Pareja. They are working with him to build up muscle in the leg and around the knee. Gonzalez, OP says, is in a good place mentally and physically. With meniscus recovery, swelling sometimes happens. So this is just a recovery set back and not a new injury. The long-term goal of building strength in the leg should really help the knee.

Victor Ulloa - Is fine and is in full participation today. He was a little sore last week, so with Jacori Hayes being the planned starter, the FCD staff decided to rest Ulloa and put Paxton Pomykal in the 18.

Paxton Pomykal - The above obviously paid off for Pomykal as he was terrific in his short stint. Pareja says Pomykal is in the 18 for Portland as well. With all the guys nursing injuries FCD didn't want to have to recall Paxton from Spain, so they just decided to keep him here.

Brandon Servania - Is into the recovery phase post-surgery for Compartment Syndrome. He's not doing any field work yet, just rehab type stuff.

Bryan Reynolds - Is here today but as the youngest FCD player, he does spend time with the Academy. Pareja says the biggest challenge with Reynolds is getting competitive games for him. He will be playing with the 19s in the Dallas Cup.

Tesho Akindele - Is off with Canada. Pareja says it's good timing for Akindele because he's not getting minutes right now in Dallas. He can go to Canada, get seen by the coaches, get some good training, and hopefully get some international minutes.

Francis Atuahene, Ema Twumasi, and Jordan Cano are all back in town working with FCD. As will continue with these three players, they train with FCD during the week and just head to OKC for games on the weekend. Atuahene is up for USL Goal of the Week.

Young USL-contract keeper Carols Avilez is also back in training. I would think he will also play in Dallas Cup.

There are two guest players today helping fill up the numbers.

Alejandro, a guest player at FC Dallas training. (3-21-18) (Buzz Carrick / 3rd Degree)

1. Alejandro - Out of the Atletico Nacional, which is in Medellin. Pareja didn't say so, but I'm sure he's here on Pareja's invitation. Alejandro is training with the FCD Academy and is going to play college ball in the states. Which School is yet to be determined, but has several options I'm told.

2. Taborda Listte Juan Manuel - An academy kid that I can't find on any of their rosters. He looked age wise 16/17'ish to me. He hit some nice crosses. Credit to FCD for constantly scouring the area to find kids.

Training Observations

As usual, the team splits up into offensive and defensive drills after the initial warmups and stuff. Again, Marco Ferruzzi takes the defense and Josema Bazan takes the offense. Today's drills are very similar to last Wednesday and continue the theme of team cohesion. This phase of the season is still about getting the team shape and tactics nailed down.

Offensive (Bazan) Drill

A set of eight yellow figures is set up to create a defensive shape and passing lanes. The offensive players work a rotation of passing combos, overlaps, crosses, and finishes.

Player rotations: Maxi Urruti and Cristian Colman as the center striker, Roland Lamah and Francis Atuahene are on the left, Santiago Mosquera and Bryan Reynolds play the 10, & Michael Barrios and Ema Twumasi are on the right. The two guest players fire in crosses from near the sidelines.

Defensive (Ferruzzi) Drill

Like last Wednesday, this is a back 4 against 8. Initially the back 4 just shift and hold shape as the ball is played around the "midfield" against them. Then as the drill progresses, the opposition 8 move the ball, make switches, try and make a penetrating pass or dribble. Two sets of back 4 are used, taking turns as the defending team against the opposition 8.

Gray 1: Anton Nedyalkov, Reto Ziegler, Matt Hedges, Reggie Cannon.

: Ryan Hollingshead, Maynor Figueroa, Jordan Cano, Kris Reaves.

(midfield): Paxton Pomykal, Jacori Hayes, Carlos Gruezo, Victor Ulloa.

After 20 minutes or so, Ferruzzi switches the drill up and works pairs of holding mids in front of a single center defender. This drill is about the holding mid moving quickly to close down an attacker then quickly getting back in shape.

Full Team Drill

This is a mini-field drill again, 30 yards by 30 yards with full goals. This one isn't the usual free for all but rather is just a smaller space application of the drills above. There are the usual three teams, 2 playing and 1 neutral on the outside, but the teams aren't balanced.

Orange - An offensive team with a D helper: Urruti, Barrios, Lamah, Colman, Ulloa, Pomykal, Figueroa.

- A defensive side with an attacker: Nedyalkov, Ziegler, Hedges, Cannon, Hayes, Gruezo, Mosquera.

- Another defensive set: Hollingshead, Cano, Reaves, Cannon, Twumasi, Atuahene, Reynolds.

Yes, Cannon twice. He doubles up and plays with green too so they can have a back four.

Extra Stuff

Most everyone is done training, but Bazan keeps some of the younger non-starting players for some finishing drills: Colman, Hollingshead, Pomykal, Twumasi, Atuahene, and Ulloa.

Kyle Zobeck and Carols Avilez man the nets. Guest player Manuel crosses from the left, guest player Alejandro and Kris Reaves from the right.

Four different attackers push forward one at a time from each offensive "channel" to shoot. After all four have taken a shot, then a ball is crossed in from the left then the right for headers.

Last Men Standing

When everyone else is gone and I'm left talking to Oscar Pareja, Marco Ferruzzi is still out working with Kris Reaves and Jordan Cano.