D.C. United center back Bobby Boswell has grown accustomed to learning on the job, dating back to his baptism by fire as the rookie replacement for United legend Ryan Nelsen in 2005.
For all the great strides he's made in the past two years, that process still continues for the 2006 MLS Defender of the Year as he earned his first professional sending-off against New York last week when he saw a second yellow card after tugging back Jozy Altidore.
"I've gotten some early cards in my MLS career and I've never gotten that second yellow," Boswell said this week. "So this weekend when I got that first one, they put on Jozy and he's a banger, you know? It was unfortunate the way it went down. I didn't necessarily agree with the call, but I can't really complain when I put myself in that situation."
Boswell is one of only four D.C. players to have started every match this season thus far and had played every minute until Sunday's 60th-minute ejection. Now United's coaching staff must select a replacement for Saturday's match against the Chicago Fire, and while Tom Soehn and company can choose from several possible scenarios, all involve the use of a relatively untested player in a crucial role.
Devon McTavish would be the most logical choice, having earned two starts earlier in the season, but he's been working his way back from a hip flexor injury and may not be at full match fitness yet.
"We've been working his minutes, mostly through the reserves, seeing how he does back there," said Soehn. "We'll evaluate this week who best fits as a replacement for Bobby."
The West Virginia University graduate has played a full 90 minutes in United's last two reserve matches, and came on as a late sub against the Red Bulls.
"I still have a way to go," said McTavish. "But I felt pretty good out there. I didn't feel anything with my hip flexor. [As a substitute] you just run around and sprint the whole time, so I think it's pretty good right now."
Converted striker Marc Burch also has a shot. His rapid adjustment to a defensive role has impressed coaches, leading to his first United appearance as an injury-time replacement for Fred on Sunday. Burch's talent has attracted the attention of teammates as well.
"He's the future of the American game," said Boswell. "He's a big kid, he's also strong and Benny [Olsen] always says he can hit a ball 60 yards on a rope. That will completely change the dynamic of a game, if you have defenders on the other team and far side guys having to worry that when the ball's on the left side, it could come flying over the top of them. He tackles hard and he's got good vision. They key is to making him play that way all the time -- put it together on the field, not just in the games but in practice."
United could conceivably move the experienced Bryan Namoff -- the only D.C. player to appear in every minute of the 2007 campaign -- inside and use a younger player in the right back position. Soehn has flirted with the idea of using Clyde Simms on the back line, but the versatile midfielder has hardly trained since re-aggravating his high ankle sprain in Los Angeles two weeks ago and seems set for a long recovery spell.
"I got some tests run earlier this week and talked to the doc," said Simms on Wednesday. "He's saying that it's one of those that can keep re-occurring, so we're going to try to just let it heal so I don't have to deal with it all season."
Soehn, who has adopted the same cagey approach to lineups as his predecessor Peter Nowak, isn't giving away much of his thinking on Boswell's replacement. This week he batted away questions on the issue by playfully hyping the skills of backup goalkeeper Jay Nolly, who briefly appeared as a field player in United's reserve match against Toronto FC last month. But in a more serious moment, he explained why he's not concerned about fielding an untested center back.
"Whether it's the first-team guys or the guys who are ready to step in, they're doing the same things," said the United boss. "They're working on the same communication skills and working under the same system. So whoever comes in knows their role and what's expected of them."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
