MLSsoccer.com will break down the Wizards’ season in three-match blocks during the Major League Soccer regular season. Consider it 10 quick glimpses into Kansas City’s season, each of which will play a critical role in the team’s quest to return to the playoffs.
Position
Fifth in the Eastern Conference (5-8-5, 20 points)
Last three
March 17 at Colorado Rapids – 1-1 draw [WATCH: HIGHLIGHTS]
April 31 vs. Toronto FC – 1-0 victory [WATCH: HIGHLIGHTS]
August 7 vs. Real Salt Lake – 1-1 draw [WATCH: HIGHLIGHTS]
Next three
August 14 at San Jose (6-6-5, 23 points)
August 21 vs. New England (5-9-3, 18 points)
August 28 at Los Angeles Galaxy (12-3-4, 40 points)
Player to remember … Teal Bunbury (one goal, two assists)
Bunbury has provided a new element to Kansas City’s attack that was clearly missing before. He is strong, he is athletic and he is eager to please a coaching staff that brought him along slowly before finally turning him loose.
Now, the rookie just needs to start scoring goals with more consistency. The hunger is certainly there, but Bunbury is still only 20 years old and he can’t carry the team all by himself, leading us into our next point.
Player to watch … a new attacking player?
With a roster spot open and plenty of conjecture floating around the team’s transfer market dealings, it seems very likely manager Peter Vermes will make some sort of move before the window closes on Aug. 15.
The Wizards manager has repeatedly said the team is exploring signing an attacking player, and Omar Bravo has been rumored to be on his way for weeks. If Kansas City doesn’t make a move, it won’t be for lack of trying.
“We are working diligently on that aspect,” Vermes said earlier this week. “We are trying like crazy. You know how it is—it’s a tough game.”
Two things that went right…
1) Finding the opening goal
Three games and three opening goals represent a serious step forward for a side that is 0-8-1 when conceding first. With such limited offensive production, the Wizards did exactly what they needed to to stretch their run of results to four games.
Now, the challenge comes in maintaining that on the road over the next three weeks. San Jose and LA will pile on the pressure at home, and New England are always a tough opponent. But with speed up front to burn and plenty to play for, Kansas City will remain a threat from the opening whistle to the last.
2) Stephane Auvray and Craig Rocastle’s emergence
Rocastle’s insertion into the starting lineup has helped ignite the Wizards recent run of results. Auvray, on the other hand, is just now starting to get back into peak form after recovering from an injury earlier in the season.
With the duo providing defensive cover, Kansas City have played some of their best soccer of the season at the back while cleaning up the defensive issues that plagued it during a crippling eight-game winless streak.
Two things that went wrong…
1) Four points lost
Five points is certainly a start, but the Wizards gave away almost as many points as they earned.
After jumping out to 1-0 leads against both Colorado and RSL, the Wizards couldn’t find the killer second goal and relinquished the lead in both games. Opportunities like those aren’t going to come around too often the rest of the way, and Vermes’ team must find a way to take advantage of them from now on.
2) Goal scoring
Kansas City may be in the midst of its best stretch of the season, but the team won’t find itself anywhere near the playoff conversation until the ball starts finding its way into the back of the net more frequently.
The Wizards have scored just 15 goals in 18 games this season, trailing only D.C. United, and four of those came on the season’s opening night. Bunbury, Kei Kamara and Ryan Smith will all need to start chipping in for Kansas City to make a push towards the postseason.
VOTE: AT&T Goal of the Week nominee, Kei Kamara
Looking ahead…
Kansas City are a miserable 1-5-2 away from CommunityAmerica Ballpark this season. Fortunately, two of those results came in the last month against Colorado and Columbus.
San Jose are fighting to hold onto their own playoff dreams, but the Earthquakes have been slipping lately and Vermes has to consider six points a definite possibility from the Wizards' next two contests. If they could follow that up by earning even a point in Los Angeles, it would be a pretty incredible feat.
Either way, this is a critical juncture for a side running out of time to resuscitate its up-and-down season. Win and the race is back on. Lose and the picture gets a little bleaker.
