Sporting KC: Lack Of Chemistry Could Be The Issue
Sporting KC is heading into the third week of the season after drawing their first game at home against the New York Red Bulls and then falling to FC Dallas with a 3-1 final on Saturday. The one point in two games puts Sporting KC at the bottom of the Western Conference table in their first season in the West.
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There are a lot of people to blame for the slow start by Sporting KC. The defense has struggled greatly with rookie Amadou Dia at right back making the typical rookie mistakes and facing growing pains. Captain Matt Besler and Ike Opara who is coming off of a season ending injury are trying to build their chemistry, which is difficult to do when Besler gets sent off and suspended due to a red card.
The midfield should take a lot of blame for the struggles as well. Benny Feilhaber and Roger Espinoza are also trying to build their chemistry. So far though there has been a lot of confusion about who needs to be where which leads to a lot of space and time on the ball for the opponent which led to Lloyd Sam’s game tying goal in the first game against the Red Bulls. Sporting KC has been trying to replace Oriol Rosell since his transfer last season, and are still lacking a true defensive midfielder.
Head coach Peter Vermes has experimented with the third midfielder spot with Krisztian Nemeth getting the start in the attacking midfield role in the first game against the Red Bulls. Paulo Nagamura was given the start in the game against Dallas at the central midfielder role. Both Nemeth and Nagamura were effective at times, but you could tell the midfielders were all on different pages.
The forwards have been very quiet so far this season with Sporting KC’s two goals on the season coming from defender Ike Opara and midfielder Roger Espinoza. Graham Zusi has been effective at times on the right wing but has struggled when trying to dribble at players. He has created a good amount of chances and got an assist on Opara’s goal.
The left wing has been a revolving door through two games. Bernardo Anor started against the Red Bulls and looked dangerous but was unable to put the pieces together to score or create a goal. In the second game against Dallas, Nemeth was moved from the midfield to the left wing. He didn’t seem to play a true left wing role as he floated all over the front and was found in the center on several occasions. Like Anor, Nemeth had several chances to make a play but was unable to put the final touches together.
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One of the biggest mysteries so far this season has been the struggles of center forward Dom Dwyer. Dwyer set the Sporting KC franchise record for goals scored in a season and finished second in MLS with 22 goals scored in 2014. So far this season Dwyer has not looked like himself. In the first game against the Red Bulls, Dwyer missed two shots that were great opportunities to score. The kind of shots that he didn’t miss last season.
Against Dallas Dwyer was marked out of the game and was unable to find space for the majority of the game. He finally had an opportunity to open his 2015 goal scoring account when Bernardo Anor was fouled in the box earning a penalty. Dwyer stood over the ball but took a stutter step on his approach which allowed the goalkeeper time to react and make the save keeping Dwyer scoreless for the season.
It is not yet time to panic as a Sporting KC fan. The talent is clearly there but the lack of chemistry has clearly affected the team the most. Once Besler comes back and the team can get a few more games under their belts together, they will be a very dangerous team and a threat to everyone.
Sporting KC also only has 27 players on the roster out of the 30 maximum allowed including one designated player spot. They may be on the market for a defensive midfielder which they would greatly benefit from sooner rather than later.
Sporting KC will be back in action on Saturday against the Portland Timbers at Sporting Park.