WASHINGTON – Heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Colorado Rapids (7 pm, Galavisión), D.C. United have a dizzying array of back line questions to answer.
With Dejan Jakovic suspended after picking up a red card last Saturday in a 2-1 loss against New England, Perry Kitchen on international duty with the US U-20s and right back Jed Zayner listed as questionable, three-quarters of their ideal starting defense may be unavailable.
That’s not a huge concern for coach Ben Olsen.
“We feel comfortable with whoever we’re going to put out there and it’ll be a good test,” he said.
Depending on Zayner’s availability, rookie Chris Korb is the top candidate to start again on the right, and the same can be said for Rodrigo Brasesco in central defense. Daniel Woolard, signed during the offseason, has impressed in camp though mostly at left back.
Olsen said he's comfortable that there’s enough versatility back there to cope with some of the absences.
“We have several backs that have, throughout their career, played different spots,” he said. “It’s a nice luxury to have when you have a couple guys out.”
No matter who is out there, it will be a challenge for the back line, especially having to contain Colorado’s forward duo of Omar Cummings and Conor Casey – should they both start on Sunday. Casey has been hobbled with a calf injury, while Cummings was away on international duty with Jamaica this past week.
Left back Marc Burch isn’t concerned about the high rate of turnover on the back line hampering the defensive effort.
“We’ve been switching in and out since the beginning of the season, so I think that no matter who we put there, we have a good idea how to play with each other,” he said. “Some guys might be out of position this weekend, but the concept of what we’re going to do is all the same.”
In the face of the high rate of change, one plus to the situation is the presence of goalie/coach Pat Onstad. The 43-year-old’s experience is invaluable in helping the team keep its shape, and he isn’t afraid to bark orders from the ‘net.
“Pat’s very vocal and he keeps us all together, keeps us in line and he’s saying the right things all the time – sometimes goalies don’t always say the right things,” Burch said.
While the focus of a defensive effort is always on the back line, Olsen was also adamant that it’s also the responsibility of the other 10 guys on the field to play defense – starting up top with the forwards and going all the way to the back.
“It’s still a group,” he said. “It’s still 10 guys out there, working together to defend.”
