Now that the 2019 season has ended, I am going to review the players that played a major role in Luchi’s first season as head coach. The player we are reviewing today is Santiago Mosquera.
Background
Santiago Mosquera was born in Buenaventura, Colombia, on February 7, 1995. He grew up in the Millionarios Academy, and continued playing in the academy until he was signed by the first team in 2016 at the age of 21. He won the Liga Aguilla with Millonarios in 2017, where he had eight goals and nine assists in his first season as a starter.
The following winter, in February of 2018, Mosquera was signed by FC Dallas as a Designated Player. He was touted as an improvement to Roland Lamah, who was signed as a replacement for Fabian Castillo.
Playsyle
When first arriving here, Santiago Mosquera was meant to compliment Michael Barrios on the wing. A skillful player, Mosquera has played primarily at the left wing position, dribbling at defenders to create goalscoring opportunities. He plays better with the ball at his feet, and has a knack for scoring goals after beating one or two defenders.
High Point
The last game of the season has been regarded by most fans as his best game with the FC Dallas Jersey. The Colombian scored a goal and notched an assist in the 6-0 rout against Sporting Kansas City.
Matt Hedges doubles #FCDallas' lead with his first #MLS goal of the season. #FCDvSKC #DTID pic.twitter.com/eXpGasfGNJ
— Garrett Melcer (@GarrettMelcer) October 6, 2019
Even though he scored that day, this play is the best piece of skill that I’ve seen Mosquera do this season.
Low Point
In the 2018 season, Santiago Mosquera missed 5 matches due to injury, which was already seen as a negative from his inaugural campaign in Frisco. He hasn’t improved health-wise this year; he missed 10 games due to injury/illness.
For one specific moment, it might be this miss, that came in July
68' – SANTI!
SO. CLOSE.#FCDvRSL | #DTID pic.twitter.com/6CQ29pftte
— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) July 28, 2019
A Designated Player not scoring that type of opportunity is an issue.
Season Grade: C+
Santiago Mosquera has shown numerous times that at his best, he is the best player on this roster. Over a six game stretch last year, he scored five goals. However, injuries and poor form have ruined his time here in Frisco. He scored less times this year than he did in that six-week stretch, and his inconsistent play has led to many fans being frustrated.
He also doesn’t seem to fit this playstyle. Mosquera drops back into space in order to receive the ball, unlike his counterpart on the other side, who runs behind the defense in order to create chances. Mosquera doesn’t have the speed or the scoring touch that Barrios has, which is crucial if you play winger in Luchi’s system (that’s why Pablo Aranguiz was a massive failure this year).
Mosquera will probably end up leaving Dallas this year, or end up not being the starter, which is a shame. I don’t think fans were able to see Mosquera at his best. It’s unfortunate that he wasn’t able to perform well here, but it will be interesting to see how he develops in the future
With the season over, I will be reviewing the performances of players that have had a massive role in Luchi’s inaugural campaign. Who do you want to see next? Let me know in the comments!
Featured Image: Deportes RCN
