July 4th, 2008 . 8:02 am . By: Jason Benfield

The Kansas City Wizards

With the acquisition of Designated Player Claudio Lopez and a new stadium on the horizon, the Wizards came into the 2008 season looking to establish themselves as one of the major players in the Eastern Conference. Instead, KC find themselves at the bottom of the conference and have struggled to create chances and goals. A franchise whose history is based on defensive play was expected to move forward and be more aggressive, but once again are focusing on keeping a tight backline and finding it difficult to put the ball in the back of the net.

When Onolfo first took over as coach of the Wizards last season, he installed a 3-5-2 and promised to attack. However, as the season went on, the team started to struggle offensively and began to leak goals. As a response, he switched to a more balanced 4-4-2. The Wizards limped into the playoffs and were eliminated in the first round.

This season, KC have settled on a 4-4-2 from the start. Defensively, the team relies on teamwork to be successful. The center back pairing of Conrad and Holbeihn or Wahl is physical and provides strong marking, but lacks speed. The outside backs are better at getting forward than they are at defending. The key to the defensive effort are the two central midfielders, who have primarily defensive responsibilities. Their abilities to chew up the midfield keep the opposition from countering quickly and taking advantage of the lack of speed at the back. They slow down the opposition attack, which allows the defensive backline to compress the field, the outside defenders to recover, and the centerbacks to take advantage of their strong marking abilities.

In the flat four midfield, all players are expected to play both ways. The outside backs are allowed to join the attack and move forward at will, so the outside mids are expected to switch flanks and dive into the middle. The first choice midfield for Onolfo is one that consistently outworks the other team, buzzes all over the place, and generally tries to create havoc and turnovers so that the Wizards can attack on a counter.

At the top, it is obvious that KC miss Eddie Johnson. A lot of the goals they found early in the season last year came via balls over the top on the counter. This season, the Wizards lack any speed in the attack and are unable to be successful on the counter. The flat midfield lacks creativity, so quality chances are not created during possession, either.

A lot of the burden of the lack of attack falls on the shoulders of veterans Lopez and Marinelli. Both were expected to be creative leaders and allow the team to build up a consistent attack through possession. Neither, however, have been very effective over the course of the season. Lopez and Marinelli lack the speed to play at the top and the work rate to play in a four man flat midfield. Both would probably benefit from playing as the attacking mid in a 5 man midfield, but that doesn’t look to be in the cards because of the team’s defensive liabilities. In a desperation move, Onalfo has acquired Josh Wolff in order to provide the speed that left with EJ, but unless they can find proper spots on the field for their two creators, the chances will not come for him to make a difference.

Last weekend against RSL, the KC attack finally started to look more potent. The only goal of the game was an own goal, but KC pressured the RSL end for the majority of the match, even though they still failed to create a lot of top quality scoring chances. At the end of the game they were in a 3-5-2, but that is not a long-term solution because it does not allow the outside backs to get forward and use their strength. But the most intriguing aspect of the second half was the use of both Lopez and Marinelli in the midfield with the other midfielders providing defensive cover. That could be along the lines of what we see in the future from the Wizards.

Kansas City Roster

Just a reminder of the rating system:

1 = Developmental player
2 = Solid bench player
3 = Below average starter in MLS
4 = Above average starter in MLS
5 = All-star caliber player in MLS
6 = Superstar

Davy Arnaud – 3 - Once considered a decent striker, Arnaud has been hampered by injury the past few seasons and now plays almost exclusively at right wing. Will score some great goals and is dangerous when moving inside away from the ball. Is not the most technically gifted player. Can struggle with his first touch, is not a great passer or crosser of the ball which limits his effectiveness on the outside. Is not having a great season.

Jimmy Conrad – 5 – One of the top central defenders in the league. US National team player. Very good marker, strong tackler. Very strong physical presence. Lacks some speed but positions himself well to make up for it. A leader on the backline who helps organize the youth surrounding him. Very dangerous on set pieces when getting forward. Has struggled the last two games with his distribution; has given the ball away in a couple of situations that directly lead to dangerous chances on goal.

Roger Espinoza – 2 - Rookie generation adidas left midfielder has seen a decent amount of time this season. Lacks athleticism and doesn’t seem very fast. Future is probably in the middle of the field because of his lack of speed. Seems to play well in tight space, and has made some intelligent runs off of the ball. Has not caught up to the speed of play or physical nature of the league, which has resulted in two red cards.

Michael Harrington – 3 – Can play left midfield or left back, but starts at left back after Burciaga’s departure. Seemed to find more success at the beginning of his rookie year last season in the midfield. Is more comfortable at getting forward and crossing than he does in defending. When isolated 1-v-1 will play off of the opponent, giving them space and time to put in a cross rather than challenging them because he is afraid of getting beat. Has a very nice cross and can also rip a nice shot from distance.

Kevin Hartman – 3 – Was once one of the top goalies in the league, but is now on his decline. Has always relied on great reflexes, and with those slowing he can get beat on some soft goals. Poor distribution and poor with the ball at his feet, both of which are part of the reason he wasn’t seriously considered for the national team. Came into this season in much better shape and has played better, but is still not in the upper tier of starters in the league and can still be slow off of his line.

Aaron Hohlbein – 2 – Starting central defender is a very physical presence in the back with good size. Marks players well. Can be caught out of position. Does not have the best passing skills out of the back. Lacks speed and athleticism. Would not be starting on many other teams in the league.

Jack Jewsbury – 4 - Has actually started to develop into a decent right back. Loads of energy, so he can run up and down the line all night. Can play right mid or defensive mid as well. Underrated shot from distance. Has good enough speed to play on the outside, although it isn’t great. Is playing very well of late. When he plays in the central midfield, moves the ball quickly. Can put in a nice cross. Goes in hard on his tackles. All-in-all, a solid right back.

Jonathan Leathers – 2 – Has been tried at right back without much success. Doesn’t get beat for speed much, but lacks athleticism and is too timid physically. Seemed to have moved past Myers in the pecking order, but then played very poorly against Columbus, was way out of position on a couple of the goals. Does not have a good feel of when to get up the line and when to stay back.

Claudio Lopez – 4 - Famous Argentine got off to a strong start to the season. Was very active and fit, got several touches and made the most of them, scoring goals as well as creating chances for others. Has really struggled as the season has progressed, perhaps due to the heat. Is a shadow of the player he was in the first few games. Struggling at forward because he comes back for touches, then tries to push the ball forward and doesn’t have the fitness/speed to catch back up and get involved again. Good first touch, but is slow, making slow decisions. Cannot create shots for himself. Feet have really slowed down. Has a tendency to try passes that are a little too tricky instead of taking the easy route. May be more effective in the midfield than he was up top, where he started the season, because he gets better the more he touches the ball. Was played at left midfield in the last match and was more effective. I believe it is an experiment that will continue.

Carlos Marinelli – 4 - Attacking midfielder is struggling to find a place in the squad right now. Does not fit in well in the flat four. Was tried on the left a few games ago, but is extremely clumsy when attempting to play defense, and his lack of ability to cover back limits Harrington’s effectiveness. Does not have the work rate to play centrally in a four man midfield. Very left footed. Has a great touch on the ball, and is very dangerous on free kicks. Good dribbler and passer. Inventive player. Too skilled to be riding the bench; Kansas City need to find a way to get him on the field as a starter.

Kurt Morsink – 3 - Solid two-way central midfielder fits well in the flat four. Is more effective than Zavagnin in the flat system because he is a better attacking player. Good first touch, good passer, and shows some creativity, but also works hard defensively to clean things up. Interesting player to watch to see if he can develop his game further.

Chance Myers – 2 – Outside defender with good physical tools. Nice size, nice speed. Shows good touch at times with his passing although he is still raw. Very hyped rookie. Has shown that he can be a solid player in the league with experienced. Has picked up some minor injuries, so has struggled to make himself available for every game. They want to play him, which is why they keep trying to move Jewsbury into the midfield.

Ryan Pore – 2 - Can play forward, attacking mid, or either wing. Has scored several goals for the reserve team, but it has not translated to the first team, similar to Chris Wondolowski for Houston. Just lacks the top tier athleticism and speed. Passing is not great. Is a good energy guy off the bench, but doesn’t provide much more. Does have a nice shot from distance, though.

Scott Sealy – 3 - Forward has really struggled this season. Has a poor first touch, doesn’t move well away from the ball, and has been an awful passer. Does not combine well. Can finish when he is set up in the box, with his feet or with his head, but doesn’t create shots for himself. Not a strong dribbler. Has really disappointed.

Ivan Trujillo – 3 - Was expected to grab one of the forward positions after a promising preseason, but has struggled to regain his fitness after picking up an injury early in the season. Has good size, is a very strong player. Has good fit skill for a player with his build. There is a lot of potential, but has not played very well since coming off of injury. Shows great desire in the box. Supplanted Columbiano from the roster, so he has some skill. It will be interesting to see if he can recover the form he showed early on and in the preseason.

Sasha Victorine – 3 - Adequate two way central midfielder. Injured to start the season and may be given an opportunity to grab one of the central midfield spots now that he is fit. Hard worker, but tends to fade in and out of games. Nice size allows him to be dangerous when he joins the attack and gets into the box as a target. Does not have the quickest feet, which is why he has been used on the outside for the majority of his career. Pretty good athlete, and a good team player to have on a roster even if he just provides depth.

Tyson Wahl – 2 – Started the season as a first choice central defender, but has lost his spot to Holbein. Was pretty hyped coming out of college, but has not fully developed. Decent size, but not a great tackler yet, and lacks some speed. Does not have the experience to allow his positioning to make up for his lack of speed. Didn’t really play poorly, but Holbein is a little bigger and a better marker. Has not shown that he is ready to start on a consistent basis.

Kerry Zavagnin – 3 - Defensive midfielder has always been a heady player but has taken a step back this year as he gets older. Fits better in a 3-5-2 or diamond midfield because of his limited offensive abilities. Onolfo may choose to go with Morsink and Victorine for a while and see if they can play better in a two-way role. There was a significant improvement in the central midfield during the last game when he sat out, so that doesn’t bode well. Has just not been as active or effective as in the past.

I have not seen Kartunen, Kraus, Kronberg, Marquess, McKenzie, McMahen, Pardo, Pizarro, Souter or Watson play; they are all developmental players and should not factor in Sunday’s match.

EXPECTED KANSAS CITY LINEUP

KC played their best game in a while against RSL, so I expect the lineup to stay the same.

EXPECTED DALLAS LINEUP

FCD have officially moved back to the 3-5-2. Ricchetti and AA are listed as out with injury.

I think SH will give Abe the start because of his two goals on Tuesday, even though he did not play very well overall.

Avila was outstanding in the Open Cup game, and SH made comments about youngsters winning spots. Toja has played a lot over the past week, and Rocha was tired during the Open Cup, so we could see some changes to the lineup. With Alvarez out, Toja slides outside, and either Dax or Avila will come into the game. I’ll mark Dax down, but don’t be surprised if Avila gets his first start. At the least, I fully expect Dax to be subbed out during the second half and Avila introduced.

KEY TO THE GAME

One thing that was great to see in both the friendly against Chivas and the US Open Cup game was the organization of the backline. For the first time this season, there was a form to both the midfield and the defense as players kept their shape. In both games, they limited the dangerous opportunities for the most part, and were able to sustain possession through good passing from the defense and the creation of space in the midfield. Players now know where to expect each other and can make quicker decisions on the ball.

Kansas City are not a strong offensive team. The key to this game will be whether or not Dallas can transform quality possession to quality chances on goal. Toja has played much better the last two games, but is still not a creative force in the central midfield. The question is can Rocha or Avila at the MLS level if they are given the opportunity. Both have shown the ability to run the show against lesser opposition, it is time for someone to step up and have that impact against better teams. The ability to break down a defensive team through creativity from the middle or by running into the box when the attack comes down the wing makes the attacking midfielder very important in tomorrow’s game.

PREDICTION

As critical as I was on the SH hiring, I have been encouraged by the things he is saying about his team, about getting more numbers forward and creating more chances. I am also impressed by the fact that he went against his own comfort zone by reverting to a proper 3-5-2 (not the 5-3-2 that was played earlier this year) to do what is best for the current team.

The organization at the back has also seen a dramatic improvement. Davino is looking much more comfortable, and the shape of the midfield allows for plays to be broken up there rather than balls easily making it to the front line. This is very encouraging, and the sign of a coach who knows what he is talking about, who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and instruct the team. Attention to detail is very important from a coaching standpoint, and this is obviously a coach who has that instinct.

Although Dallas still lack a creative player in the midfield and a quality second forward, I am much more bullish about what this team can do over the next set of games. A favorable stretch in the schedule is upon us and I sense a run coming.

It starts on Independence Day, as Dallas walk away with a comfortable 2-0 victory.

Categories: Match Preview.

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