Alex eager to return after serving suspension
The Dynamo were locked in another pivotal home game last weekend, but one of their most influential players was unavailable to play.
Alex, the Brazilian midfielder who leads the team with 10 assists, suffered as he watched the Dynamo take on the San Jose Earthquakes from a suite in the second level of BBVA Compass Stadium.
He had played in all 23 of the club’s games to that point but was suspended after receiving two yellow cards in the Aug. 5 game at Real Salt Lake. Rather than unlocking the San Jose defense with a penetrating pass, Alex watched as the Dynamo took more than 70 minutes to score a second goal and put the game out of reach on their way to a 3-0 win.
“It was hard because I wanted to be on the field and help my teammates,” Alex said this week. “I know what it is like to be on such a hot field, and it is not the same watching it from the outside. I understood the situation my teammates were in.”
Alex, 28, got a different view of the debut of new Designated Player Tomás Martínez, who is immediate competition for playing
time in the attacking midfield role.
Martínez, 22, from Argentina, has experience in Europe. The Dynamo have high hopes after acquiring him in July. He might not eat into a bulk of Alex’s minutes right away, but given time as a sub throughout the next few weeks, Martínez could show he deserves to start.
Alex has been benched in two games this season. He does not want that to happen again.
“There is healthy competition here,” Alex said. “Any place you go, any team there will be competition. Whoever is at his best will play.”
Alex likely will play Saturday when the Dynamo (10-7-7) put their six-game unbeaten streak on the line against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC (9-9-4). The Dynamo, in first place in the MLS Western Conference, could use a positive result in Vancouver to keep the Whitecaps from gaining ground in the Western Conference.
The Dynamo have improved road form on their side. After losing their first five matches away from home and not winning any of their first 10, they have gone three straight road games without losing.
Alex said he is confident the Dynamo can keep their momentum going Saturday in Vancouver and Wednesday at FC Dallas.
“(Coach) Wilmer (Cabrera) has worked a lot on the mental aspect so that we could play on the road as we do at home,” Alex said. “We are getting the results on the road as we do at home. Against D.C. United we got the positive results and then a point, which is the most important.”