Bruin gets ready to let fly with an audacious chip against Portland last weekend.
Houston, Texas — In a weekend where much focus has been on the possibility of former Houston Dynamo Chris Wondolowski scoring his 100th MLS goal, the Houston Dynamo and Will Bruin travel to Los Angeles looking to win their third straight game.
Chris Wondolowski once scored 27 goals in one MLS regular season. He’s represented the United States of America on 27 occasions scoring 9 goals, and many feel he probably should’ve played more than that.
When he retires many will regard “Wondo” as one of the great MLS strikers, and they should, but Houston Dynamo fans should also remember how he started life in Major League Soccer.
Wondolowski came to Houston with a host of other players when AEG group decided to move the Earthquakes franchise to Houston. “Wondo” played 4 seasons in Houston scoring just 4 goals and was traded to San Jose. In 2010 Wondolowski scored 18 goals — he hasn’t looked back since.
Why is this important?
Let me ask Houston Dynamo fans this: If you could find a player who is 6 years younger than Wondolowski, has very similar per 90 minute stats as “Wondo,” has a pedigree for scoring in high pressure playoff games, is a USMNT international, and still has room to improve… would you want that player? Of course you would.
The funny thing is this, Houston already has him. His name is Will Bruin.
Admittedly, Prost wrote after the home opener against Columbus Crew that Bruin looked like he might not fit into Owen Coyle’s system. Since then Coyle has tinkered with his system and finally seems to be settling on one that has Giles Barnes dropping deeper behind Bruin, rather than the other way around as it was vs Columbus.
Since this change Will Bruin has thrived.
Prior to the Dynamo’s 3-1 win over Portland I spoke with Dynamo fans about Bruin and the feelings were mixed. One fan called him “Stumbledore,” another lamented Bruin’s hold-up play and aerial ability, and a few just wanted him to get back to his 2012 form when Bruin scored 16 goals in all competitions.
Here’s the thing about Bruin — he could be the next Chris Wondolowski, actually, he could be better.
Bruin has already scored 39 goals in just 125 games, that’s 0.31 goals per game. Wondolowski’s 99 goals in 380 games translates to just 0.26 goals per game. The Houston Chronicle wrote earlier this season that Bruin had thought about asking for a trade — that could be another potential “see what we could’ve had” situation for Houston.
The biggest thing that separates the two is age, six years to be exact, and it’s age that is on Bruin’s side.
“I’m still developing as a player and as a professional” said Bruin after the game against Portland, probably referencing the fact that he decided to chip the on-rushing Portland ‘keeper rather than bend it around him.
At just 25 years of age Will Bruin has scored 40% of Chris Wondolowski’s career goals It wasn’t until Wondolowski was in his age 27 season that everything clicked, and It wasn’t until his age 29 season that “Wondo” scored 27 goals in a season.
Is there room for Will Bruin to improve? Of course there is — he would agree with you, he’s certainly not done working on his game “early on in my career it would be a few goals here and a few goals there and its not good enough. It’s got to be every day” admitted the U.S men’s national team international.
One thing Dynamo fans might forget is that when the playoffs roll around, Will Bruin is the man you want leading the line. In the regular season Will Bruin averages 0.51 goals per 90 minutes, and shoots at about 42% accuracy — in the playoffs it’s a different story.
During the playoff Bruin scores 0.67 goals per 90 minutes and shoots at a 46% clip. Wondolowski on the other hand scores 0.2 goals per 90 minutes and shoots just at just 40% accuracy.
Will Bruin will hit 100 goals around his age 30 season, two years earlier than Wondolowski will, if he continues at this level of performance. But the stage is set for Bruin to grab hold and become a force in this league.
With Giles Barnes playing the role of deep lying forward, linking the play, opening space for Bruin to run into, Houston finally has a deadly partner for a striker capable of 20 goal seasons in MLS.
Many are of the impression that Will Bruin will see less minutes when Erick Torres joins from Guadalajara, and if that’s true it would be a shame. Owen Coyle has always said players earn their place in the team and if Will Bruin continues to perform at this level it would be hard for “Cubo” to start up-front for the Dynamo.
In Barnes and Bruin the Dynamo could potentially have one of the most dynamic duo’s in the league not just this season, but for many seasons to come — and in Will Bruin Houston could have their Chris Wondolowski.
Dynamo fans must get behind Bruin, he could be the striker they’ve been missing since “DeRo” and Brian Ching. Don’t be surprised if 3 or 4 years from now, we’re talking about Will Bruin’s 100th MLS goal.
He’ll look to add number 40 against Los Angeles tonight.
Follow Scott Nicholls on Twitter: @scottnicholls
Injury Report:
Houston Dynamo: Nate Sturgis – R shoulder dislocation (Probable).
Los Angeles Galaxy: Kenney Walker – groin; Jose Villarreal – hamstring; Robbie Keane – groin; Todd Dunivant— quad; Robbie Rogers – ankle (all Questionable); Brian Perk – ankle fracture (Out).
Unavailable:
Los Angeles Galaxy: Bradford Jamieson IV (US U20 International Duty).
Probable Line-ups:
Houston Dynamo: GK Deric; DF Raul Rodriguez, Horst, Taylor, Beasley; MF Davis, Clark, Garrido, Boniek; FW Barnes, Bruin.
Los Angeles Galaxy: GK Penedo; DF Rogers, Leonardo, Gonzalez, Gargan; MF Husidic, Vayrynen, Juninho, Ishizaki; FW Zardes, Keane.
Suspension Watch:
Houston Dynamo: Kofi Sarkodie, Ricardo Clark (1 yellow away from suspension).
