Who Should FC Dallas Start In The Playoffs?

With Decision Day looming, FC Dallas knows they'll play on past Matchday 34. They know they'll have home field advantage at minimum for the first round. Whether they have it further is to be determined; Dallas is an 88% chance to finish 2nd per Pitch Perception.

Regardless of the details, Eric Quill will have to write out a starting eleven in just over two weeks time hoping to reach the Conference Semifinals for the first time since 2022. He's said leading into the regular season finale if everyone's healthy he hopes to field the lineup he'd want for game one in Frisco later this month.

Who is that however?

Let's talk through what Quill's best starting eleven is for the playoffs and why.

A note: As of this writing Logan Farrington has yet to return to game action, but has worked on grass in training. Daniel did not play against Kansas City, but no information exists that his absence was related to injury. Everyone else on the Dallas roster based on context is healthy and available for selection.

Goalkeeper

Jonathan Sirois

Quill's most important decision ahead of the playoffs is choosing between Sirois and midseason acquisition Daniel. Both have been starting caliber since arriving in Dallas; that this is even up for debate speaks well of each player's performances.

If you're going strictly by stats since Daniel arrived in Frisco, he's the choice. He's allowed less goals (10) than Sirois (21) albeit it in two less starts. Daniel's save percentage is slightly better (70.6 to 70), and his GA/90 is also superior (1.22 to Sirois' 1.78).

The advanced numbers back up Daniel's claim to the job. Per SoccerDataVizer Daniel is better than Sirois in the following (these include Daniel's time with San Jose earlier in the season):

G-xGA: -5.33 to -0.99

Net G+: +0.24 to +0.09

Goals prevented: +5.33 to +0.99

Quality adjusted goals prevented: +5.17 to -0.64

Quality adjust save rate: 1.073 to 0.984

Per Pitch Perception, Daniel has a squad value above replacement of +0.12, while Sirois is at +0.09. A slim margin granted, but it is still superior. Everything in the numbers says the Brazilian should be between the posts come game one.

I'm still choosing Sirois, for a few reasons.

One of the biggest reasons: availability. Since donning the Dallas colors Daniel has dealt with hamstring issues that cost him several weeks of action, leading to Sirois regaining his starting job. Anyone who has had muscle injuries knows they never really leave and the potential of reaggravation can play with a player's mind. When the margins shrink in the postseason, you can't have a divided focus.

As well if Daniel does re-injure his leg in game, you've got to burn a substitute in replacing him or have a hobbled keeper if all subs are already used. Both could be disastrous in a playoff game for their own reasons. As many high school coaches have said "the best ability is availability." Knowing Sirois is 100% matters, and should be considered in lineup selection.

There's the chemistry factor also. Sirois has more game and training time with the squad than Daniel, which gives him an unmeasurable edge. He knows tendencies, abilities, all the little things that can influence his play. Go back to the Kansas City draw: his ability to command his box, come out at just the right time, and know when to go fast or slow is second nature.

Sirois' playmaking ability deserves recognition in this discussion. Again against Kansas City Sirois had two wonderful moments that started Dallas' attack off right, including on Dallas' lone goal Saturday. He easily saves KC's corner, and as the players break out he finds Daniel Job who keys the three player goal sequence ending with Herman Johansson's score. It's a beautiful piece of transition work that starts with Sirois.

There's not a wrong answer here, just two different ones that are both likely to succeed. Given that, Sirois to me feels the better overall choice even if the numbers favor Daniel.

Center backs

Osaze Urhoghide, Shaq Moore, Sebastien Ibeagha

This one is more cut and dry. Dallas has four starting caliber center backs including Nolan Norris. Norris is going to be a starter in MLS for a long time, but this is not his time.

In the playoffs you need quality, and as much experience as you can pair with that quality is a bonus. Ibeagha has been a revelation during his age 34 season, and combined with his experience from winning MLS Cup with LAFC he has the edge on the Dallas homegrown. His communication has been routinely praised by coaches and players alike, a valuable skill when the chips are down.

Moore and Urhoghide mind you are Dallas' two best defenders in that order this season. Moore has become the 1v1 specialist that most teams would sell an organ for, combined with his leadership and high level experience. Osaze meanwhile is a best eleven candidate at the position, a lockdown player who lives for battling strikers and making their day miserable. He has the perfect attitude for the position, and if his passing was better he'd be commanding a large overseas fee.

Between center back and goalkeeper Dallas has depth that's the envy of Major League Soccer. It's a great position to be in, and if Dallas advances in the postseason this trio will be a big part of that success.

Midfield

Herman Johansson, Christian Cappis, Kaick, Bernard Kamungo

The wing backs here are stock standard. Kamungo has been the first choice left wing back when healthy, and is the team's 2nd ranked player in g+ behind Petar Musa. While at times Kamungo can be frustrating, the advanced numbers love what the Abilene Dream brings. Combine him with Moore and you've got Quill's preferred lock down duo. They have good chemistry together on defense, with Moore's mentality and demeanor a great lead for which Kamungo follows.

With Job on board, he and Kamungo are starting to find a rhythm on offense. If they end up playing the same line disaster will strike. However if Job goes wide and Kamungo inverts or vice versa, it creates real problems for defenders. It gives the Dallas offense a different dimension, one they lacked prior to Job's arrival. It's made Kamungo even more important, even if there's a discussion to have about him this offseason.

Johansson meanwhile has shown great improvement after Ran Binyamin started getting run at right wing back. His attacking abilities have been unlocked, getting further up the field during the build creating attacking width when he wasn't before. His size gives Dallas an outlet on goal kicks and restarts, and as we saw against SKC he has a nice finishing ability. Binyamin will play a role in the postseason, but it'll be off the bench deputizing one of the starters.

Kaick is a bolt on starter when healthy. His engine, pressing, tackling, and creative streak make him one of the most dynamic young midfielders in the game. At his young age he'll only grow and improve, something to which Dallas supporters should look forward.

The change is sending Ramiro to the bench while replacing him with Cappis. Dallas' midfield is its biggest problem, and will need to be addressed this winter if they want to level up. Ramiro at 33 is still a great mind, leader, and organizer but is starting to slow down. Literally; at times late in games he loses pace and steam making him a liability on defense. With that fatigue comes bad decisions, and when that happens in the postseason it can cost teams their playoff lives.

As such, reversing the roles of Cappis and Ramiro is meant to get the most out of both. Cappis has more legs than Ramiro by virtue of being a decade younger, and over the last few games has shown flashes of his strong 2025 form. Here's the numbers comparing the two players per SoccerDataVizer:

If you can get 60 good minutes out of Cappis and take a lead, bringing on Ramiro as the closer to make sure Dallas sees out the game will be fantastic. He'll be able to help keep the team focused, help defend, and kill off the game. There's even a world where Cappis and Ramiro take the midfield pairing, although what world that is feels hard to ascertain.

This is about maximizing the limited midfield resources Dallas has, and Cappis getting starts doesn't mean Ramiro isn't valuable. It's more about organization and deployment in single game situations, which changes the math.

Forwards

Petar Musa, Daniel Job, Joaquin Valiente

Not unlike the center backs this trio picks itself. Musa is a MVP candidate, Job has become an incredible offensive weapon that's picking up the defensive side of the game quickly, and Valiente at his best can press as well as anyone in American soccer. There are some questions about Valiente's recent performances, which could come down to his first season in such a physical league with extreme temperatures.

Even so he's the best option overall. Santi Moreno is brilliant but inconsistent while carrying some sort of injury that limits his minutes, making him much more valuable as a bench piece. While Quill sees something in Patrickson Delgado, that sentiment is not shared in these pages. He's incredibly inconsistent, with his worst case scenario on display in the Columbus loss. It's not something you can trust when the lights are brightest.

If Farrington was healthy, this might be where you explore going back to two strikers with Job underneath. Even then, Dallas has still not figured out how to deploy their top two scorers together. Farrington's foot injury has delayed that process even further. All that makes the selection more apparent.