Three Answers: Wizards vs Real Salt Lake

Ned Grabavoy flung himself in effort to slow down Ryan Smith - a common sight Saturday night.

Before every Kansas City Wizards upcoming game, I do my own version of the three keys for a Wizards victory. I call it “Three Questions.” It occured to me that I was asking the questions, but leaving them unanswered. I know how much it irritates me when I ask someone a question, but to no response.

Therefore, starting now, I’ll be answering my own Three Questions following every game.

1. What will the different effect of having both starting full backs against RSL make compared to the first matchup?

In short, it made a world of difference. As I mentioned when proposing the question, where Real Salt Lake killed the Kansas City defense in the first matchup was predominently on the right side of defense with regular right back Michael Harrington playing left back in place of Roger Espinoza, who was training for the World Cup with the Honduran national team.

This time around, Alvaro Saborio found far less room to roam and bar the complete gaff on Robbie Findley’s goal (which was a handball, admitted by Findley) the defense was nearly airtight. It was, of course, the center of defense with the momentary lapse of focus that lead to the goal, which Wizards fans have become accustomed to.

The defense as a whole was above their average performance level and did a fairly good job of minimizing the necessity of Jimmy Nielsen heroic saves. Actually, Nielsen may have been so well protected this week that he may not have had opportunity to create and entry into the MLS Save of the Week competition. Well done, backline. Shavar Thomas and Jimmy Conrad played a passable center tandem for the third game in a row; while Harrington and Espinoza were great, as usual, both in defense and pressing forward out wide. They pick and choose their spots so well. That went a long way in picking up the result against arguably the best team in the league.

Three Questions With An Opposing Blogger: Real Salt Lake

SB Nation home of Real Salt Lake - RSL Soapbox

With the impending move of The Daily Wiz to the SB Nation network, I decided it was as good a time as any to call upon manager of the Real Salt Lake blog of the network for this week’s version of the Opposing Blogger Interview. I reached out to Denzel Eslinger of RSL Soapbox and he was more than kind enough to fill me in a bit on the latest happening of the defending MLS Cup champions. We exchanged questions in either direction, so take the time to jump over there and see what he was interested in hearing about the Wizards, and fill him in on anything I may have neglected. You can find it here.

Without any further ado, on to the Q&A.

1. With the US national team friendly against Brazil scheduled for this coming Tuesday and Robbie Findley being one of only three forwards named in the squad, one would expect him to not feature in Saturday’s league game. Are you at all worried about your side’s attacking fortitude on Saturday, given you’ll essentially be without a heralded substitute striker in the severe heat in the Midwest of late?

A) Not at all, while I am not sure when Robbie will be heading out to join the USMNT, we know that RSL can score plenty of goals without him, he was gone almost all of May and June, during which the team was 6-0-2 in league play.  RSL is one of the deepest teams in MLS with 12 different players having scored goals and 12 different players with assists, including Alvaro Saborio who has 8 goals and 4 assists.  Sure I am hoping we can use Robbie for a half, he speed would be a huge advantage with the small pitch at CommunityAmerica, but I am confident we will be able to survive and continue to thrive.

Three Questions: Wizards vs Real Salt Lake

Dazed And Confused - MLS needs more Kyle Beckerman's

Seven points from three league games. I’m not going to beat around the bushes with some long-winded lead-in to my three questions for Saturday’s home game against Real Salt Lake. This team is on a hot damn roll and we owe this Salt Lake side a little consideration of payback for the 4-1 thrashing they put on our Wizards back on May 29 in Utah.

This team is full-steam ahead, so I’ll be the same. They are, after all, going to the playoffs this year.

1. What will the different effect of having both starting full backs against RSL make compared to the first matchup?

Where the game at Rio Tinto was lost was on the wide part of the right side of Kansas City defense. If you think back, Roger Espinoza left the team in the previous week and a half leading up to that game to train with the Honduran national team before the World Cup. Subsequently, regular right back Michael Harrington was shifted from right to Espinoza’s spot on the left and started in Harrington’s spot on the right.

Not only did the Wizards lose Espinoza’s great skill and defending on the left, (Harrington is more than capable of playing either side) but Harrington is, in my mind, an elite level MLS right back. When you have to shift his position, a gaping hole is left for exploitation. And, exploit that weakness RSL did. Alvaro Saborio and Fabian Espindola ran loosely down the right side of the KC defense and each scored first half goals. Poor Jonathon Leathers, put in an impossible position, was left hung to dry for 90 minutes. Perhaps leaving Harrington on the right to play the speedy pair would have been better, but that’s months ago and water under the bridge. April, May and June weren’t exactly head coach Peter Vermes’ claim to genius.

Fast forward to August 7, and the full compliment of Harrington and Espinoza will be in the starting XI. What exactly does that do for KC’s chances Saturday? To put it frankly, a hell of a lot. At ages 24 and 23, respectively, the fullback duo of Harrington and Espinoza have to be considered an elite MLS pairing and a real gleam of hope for the future.

As for this game, if Espindola and/or Saborio have games anywhere near the first matchup against the regular duo, not to mention the smaller CommunityAmerica Ballpark field, I’ll be shocked and fully accept the blame for jinxing the team.