Coaches of slumping teams typically face a choice familiar to gamblers with a cold hand: either stay the course in the hopes of eventual vindication, or take dramatic steps to shake up established routines and habits.
D.C. United boss Curt Onalfo has thus far espoused the former approach as he tries to guide his 0-4 side to better results. But with a virulent injury outbreak set to coincide with a busy run of matches, the Black-and-Red may have little choice but to ring a few changes and try new methods in their increasingly urgent search for a victory, starting with Wednesdayās U.S. Open Cup play-in match against FC Dallas.
āI donāt know if we can even shuffle a lot of players right now, with the injuries we have,ā said hamstrung attacker Chris Pontius last week. āBut weāve got to find a way to win. The players that we have in are the players that we have. We have to find a way.ā
Unitedās injury list is nine players deep and the team faces three league matches in quick succession starting this weekend, all of which would turn a cup qualifier into a nuisance for many MLS clubs. But Onalfoās humbled squad sees little room to marginalize any competitive match, especially one that potentially offers a route into CONCACAF Champions League.
āEvery game at this point is important,ā defender Devon McTavish said. āItās one of the goals of the team, of the organization, to get back into international play and Open Cupās a good way to do that. So at this point weāre just trying to get a win no matter what itās in.ā
Dallasā visit could nonetheless open doors for several players on the periphery who are eager for a chance to make an impression and spark another deep run in the nationās oldest cup competition, which United won in 2008.
āSometimes when youāre on the outside looking in, when youāre watching, you feel like you can help the team,ā explained winger Boyzzz Khumalo, who has played just 53 minutes this season. āSometimes you just need that little spark. Iām not saying Iām the spark, Iām just saying something different. Maybe something can change.ā
A few eyebrows were raised around RFK Stadium last week when quotes attributed to Khumalo in a story on an African news website implied that the South African was discontented in D.C. and considering a move home. Like most reserve players around the world, Khumalo readily admits he would like more opportunities for playing time, but says he was badly misquoted by a journalist friend in his home country. The 29-year-old striker seems likely to figure in Wednesdayās lineup, where his creativity could add another dimension to the D.C. attack.
āEvery time thereās a game, I want to be part of the team,ā Khumalo said. āI think I can help every time we have a game. When Iām given my chance, I have to go out there and prove that I deserve to be there. I believe thereās going to be a turning pointāsomethingās going to happen. Itās not how you start, itās how you finish.ā