Sporting KC: 2018 season preview

Sporting Kansas City again fell at the knockout round last year. It was the fourth consecutive campaign that that has happened. In 2018, they will undoubtedly be hoping for better. Here is the 2018 season preview for Sporting KC.

Steady as it goes for Sporting Kansas City in 2018. After hoisting the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2017, Sporting KC is back in 2018 looking for more trophies and continued success this season. With the longest-tenure coach back on the sidelines, some names might be different on the field but Coach Peter Vermes will keep Sporting right in the thick of MLS and Open Cup action again this season.

They will, however, be desperate to end the lingering postseason troubles that have scuppered their progress for four successive seasons. The excellent defence again returns in full knick, but Vermes will be keen to bring some goals to a club that scored the fifth-fewest last season. The departure of Dom Dwyer is a name that perhaps carries more significance than his play — he had scored just five goals in 15 games before his mid-season trade — and SKC will be hoping that the roster changes that have been made will comprise a spritelier and more dangerous attack.

2017 Recap:

Record: 12-13-9

Finishing Position: 5^th place in the Western Conference (49 points)

Postseason: Lost 0-1 in Western Conference knock-out round to Houston

Cup: U.S. Open Cup champions

Transfers OUT:

GK – Andrew Dykstra (Traded to Colorado)
GK – Alexander Tambakis (Option declined)
D – Tyler Pasher (Trade)
D – Saad Abdul-Salaam (Trade to NYCFC)
D – Erik Palmer-Brown (Out of contract)
M – Benny Feilhaber (Traded to LAFC)
M – Soni Mustivar (Option declined)
M – Kevin Oliveira (Trade)
F – Cameron Porter (Retired)
F – Kenwyne Jones (Retired)
F – Cameron Iwasa (Option declined)
F – Latif Blessing (Expansion Draft)
F – Soony Saad (Waived)

Transfers IN:

GK – Eric Dick (Super Draft)
GK – Alexander Tambakis (Traded from Atlanta)
D – Brad Evans (Free Agent)
D – Emiliano Amor (Loan from Velez Sarsfield)
D – Matt Lewis (Homegrown signing)
M – Felipe Gutierrez (Designated Player)
M – Yohan Croizet (Transfer)
M – Graham Smith (Super Draft)
F – Khiry Shelton (Traded from NYCFC)
F – Zach Wright (Homegrown signing)
F – Johnny Russell (Transfer)
F – Kenwyne Jones (Traded from Atlanta)

Projected Starting XI

2018 Sporting KC Predicted Line-Up pic.twitter.com/XAdgPuQgzC
— Andrew Dowdeswell (@a_dowdeswell) March 3, 2018

2018 Predictions

More of the same quality and performance that Sporting KC has been known for during this recent successful run. You must go all the way back to 2010 (Vermes’ first full season as coach) to find the last time Sporting KC did not qualify for the MLS playoffs. Since that low point of 2010, Sporting has three U. S. Open Cup titles (2012, 2015, and 2017), along with an MLS Cup in 2013.

2018 will have some new faces along with proven contributors keeping the Sporting brand in all the important conversations this season. Gone is the veteran Benny Feilhaber, the promising Latif Blessing, and the steady Saad Abdul-Salaam, only to be replaced by newcomers Khiry Shelton, Emiliano Amor, and Brad Evans.

Next: LA Galaxy: Season Preview

These new players join a solid lineup of Besler, Espinoza, Gerso, Melia, Opara, and Zusi who all have a winning pedigree and knack for playing well all season-long for Coach Vermes. Gerso led the team with 10 goals in all competitions and the solid defensive cornerstones of KC’s success are back in Belser and Melia. Goals are the problem, but if they are found, then SKC will be a very dangerous team indeed.

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