Since the start of preseason training, both Kansas City Wizards coach Bob Gansler and his players knew this day was coming.
That day is Saturday when Kansas City travels to the nation's capital to take on Eastern Conference rival D.C. United. The Wizards lead the Eastern Conference with 13 points from six games, one more than second-place United.
The Wizards will be without three players on U.S. national team duty for the next 6-8 weeks. Defender Jimmy Conrad and forwards Josh Wolff and Eddie Johnson were selected for the U.S. squad that will play in the World Cup, which begins June 9.
When preseason training began on Feb. 1, the Wizards were without those three plus midfielder Kerry Zavagnin, All four were training with the national team during a series of friendly matches used to help U.S. manager Bruce Arena evaluate players in the national team pool.
So most of the two months of training before the April 1 season opener did not include those four players. Integrating the four back into the team and getting off to a good start to the season became the challenge.
While the four victories and one draw in six games constitutes a successful start, the challenge now is to keep it going, something for which Gansler and his players spent much of the preseason preparing.
"We're back to one man's absence is another man's opportunity," Gansler said. "Now we have three men gone so we have three guys who know they are going to be in the starting lineup. And there are other guys who know it's there for them as well."
Scott Sealy and Ryan Pore, both second-year players, appear to be the most likely to step in for Wolff and Johnson. Sealy was the Wizards' second-leading goal scorer in 2005 and started the season opener. Yura Movsisyan, a 17-year-old who was the fourth overall pick in the 2006 SuperDraft, is another possible starter at forward.
Stepping in for Conrad will be either Shavar Thomas or rookie Tyson Wahl. Thomas had been playing as one of two central defenders when Conrad or Nick Garcia were not available.
"We know those guys (Conrad, Johnson and Wolff) brought a lot to the table, but at the same time we have guys that are capable of getting the job done," Sealy said. "Starting this weekend, we have to show that we can play without those guys and that we can play well and start to get some points."
The Wizards have no injuries, so everyone except the three national team players are available. And Gansler has little worry about his choices for both a starting 11 and the five field players on the bench.
"I have very little doubt that they are going to be good," Gansler said. "We said, 'Guys, this is a World Cup year. Just don't think about today, think about tomorrow.' I think they have stayed that course."
Gansler said this season's group of first-year players is the best he has had since his first full season in 2000.
Two likely players in the Wizards starting 11 on Saturday have already gone through the process of working their way up the ladder.
"I think our young group, with maybe with one exception, all these other guys are going to start in this league, if not sooner they are going to start later," Gansler said. "We try to point out to them, you have the Davy Arnaud story and you have the Jack Jewsbury story. These are guys who came in and they were way on the bottom of the totem pole. They worked their way up and they are starters now."
Dealing with D.C. United means dealing with forward Jaime Moreno. Gansler said Moreno gets his vote for Most Valuable Player in MLS in each of the last two seasons.
Moreno not only scores goals, but has a knack for giving his teammates a good ball going forward. Gansler said that a Moreno ball three passes before the final pass could be the most significant in a D.C. scoring opportunity.
"The last couple of years, he has been as good as anybody," Gansler said. "He's like Josh (Wolff) is for us. He's an attacking player. He isn't the guy necessarily who hits the back of the net. He gives other guys the possibilities."
D.C. United, much like Chicago the week before, will move the ball around with a short passing game. The Wizards were pretty successful possessing the ball against the Fire, although they only came out with a draw.
"What they do well is possess the ball. Especially on the road, keeping the ball is the biggest thing. You be in your end and give the ball away cheaply," Sealy said. "What we have to do is the same thing the guys did against Chicago, try to limit them in the midfield, play some early balls forward and try to get some scoring opportunities that way."
Stopping United offensively means making it as difficult as possible for midfielders Christian Gomez and Freddy Adu, as well as Moreno.
"That's what we have to do against D.C.," Sealy said. "They have some very creative guys and as long we can stop the balls going forward to their forwards, we are going to have a good chance of winning the game."
Robert Whitman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
