Sporting KC suffered yet another injury in the weekend’s 4-4 draw with New England Revolution with Gerso Fernandes breaking his wrist. Head coach Peter Vermes is going to be tested to his limits.
Quietly and slightly understatedly, Sporting Kansas City have not enjoyed the excellent start to the season that is insatiably expected of them. With a string of draws and one shock defeat against lesser MLS sides, the latest of which is the weekend’s dramatic 4-4 comeback against the New England Revolution, Sporting KC have slipped to eighth in the Western Conference, a massive 13 points behind Los Angeles FC already.
And they now have another, more prominent problem twisting a thorn in their side: injuries.
Injuries happen to every team. Some are hit by worse luck, yes, but every offseason a squad is built with injuries, fatigue and the necessary rotation that is required as a result in mind. There is a reason teams have more than 11 players on their books.
What separates the good teams from the great ones is how they deal with key absences, not whether they get them in the first place. Every team will suffer periods without some of their most important players. It is what they can do during those times that differentiates the elite sides. It is why depth is such an integral aspect of squad building.
Thankfully for Sporting KC, they have one of the most complete squads in MLS. They could well stake a claim to possessing the best second XI in the league, such is their strength in numbers at almost every position on the pitch. But even with this advantage in numbers and quality, the injury list is ever-growing.
Winger and 2017 top goalscorer Gerso Fernandes is the latest to join an inflating band of brothers sat on the sidelines. He suffered a broken wrist in the weekend’s 4-4 draw with the Revs and underwent surgery earlier this week. Other key players, many of which would be considered starters or first reserves, that are injured include:
- Matt Besler (hamstring)
- Roger Espinoza (knee)
- Erik Hurtado (knee)
- Jimmy Medranda (knee)
- Jaylin Lindsey (knee)
- Rodney Wallace (hip)
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None of these is expected to be available in the next couple of weeks, with some scheduled to miss extended periods of the season. Espinoza, a key component of the midfield, is set to be out for 2-3 months.
These, then, are testing times for Sporting KC. This is where Peter Vermes earns his value. There might not be a more accomplished, experienced and aware head coach in MLS than Vermes. He has been stalwart of the KC turnaround over the past decade and is seemingly always in control of happenings in Missouri. His coaching acumen must pull through once again.
Having already lost ground on key rivals in the race for the Western title, SKC cannot afford many more slip-ups. And yet, they are trying to claw back ground with a half-loaded gun. Many of the weapons that Vermes would usually call upon in times of trouble are not available to him. He may have to get flexible with his approach.
If there is a coach and a club that is capable of handling these difficulties, it is Vermes and Kansas City. They have proven their worth time and time again and I would not be rushing to bet against them. But make no bones about it, this will be a testing time for Vermes.