**2012 Sporting Kansas City\Soccer Thread**

[|Zach|]

Sporting Kansas City was eliminated from MLS Cup contention after losing to Houston 2-1 aggreagate over the span of two games. They finished the year as US Open Cup Champions and a Kansas City team record of 63 points.

MLS Cup Final | LA Galaxy vs Houston Dynamo | December 1st, 3:30 CT









Final Regular Season Eastern Conference Standings
Full MLS standings here.



2012 US Open Cup Champions.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Trevo_410

2-0

Teal didnt impress me much

He rarely does.

[Ultra Peanut]

USWNT 5 - 0 Denmark
USMNT 1 - 0 Italy
U-23s DOS A CERO Mexico

Cooool.

[memyselfI]

Originally Posted by CHENZ A!

Also, apparently SKC lost 3-0 today to Vancouver. Bummer.

Apparently our beloved Sporting has a hard time finishing big games.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by memyselfI

Apparently our beloved Sporting has a hard time finishing big games.

"Big" games?

[Demonpenz]

you know a games bigtime when it averages 12 frames per minute streaming!

[CHENZ A!]

I almost forgot .. Did anyone else hear Lalas give us a shout out after the USA game yesterday? He basically said that last year we were a bit inexperienced, and he expects us to challenge LA this year. Man I hope he's right.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by CHENZ A!

I almost forgot .. Did anyone else hear Lalas give us a shout out after the USA game yesterday? He basically said that last year we were a bit inexperienced, and he expects us to challenge LA this year. Man I hope he's right.

Dude straight up picked us to win the Cup.

[|Zach|]

Backup goal keeper Krony hurt his lower back. That means we are one injury away from Big Kempin time. 18 year old John Kempin now the 2nd in line.

[|Zach|]

This. is. pretty.

[|Zach|]

Impact expected to announce a DP signing sometime soon. No clue what the story is beyond that...

[|Zach|]

Setting the Scene

Sporting Kansas City are looking to continue their late-season surge from 2011, when they started awfully away from home but then came on late to finish atop the Eastern Conference and come within one game of their first MLS Cup appearance since 2004. This time, they won’t have to wait until midseason to play in the still-shiny Livestrong Sporting Park – but the most telling (and positive) sign is that with the exception of left winger Bobby Convey, the offseason acquisitions were designed to provide depth, not to fill glaring vacancies.

The goal-scoring power should be there even after the departure of Omar Bravo, with 2011 Rookie of the Year C.J. Sapong among a talented – and crowded – group of forwards. Sapong, forward Teal Bunbury and midfielder Graham Zusi all got national team call-ups during the offseason, with Zusi earning his first two career starts and scoring his second time out. If there is a question mark, it’s the issue of depth in the young backline.

Team president Robb Heineman has declared that anything short of an MLS Cup appearance will not be considered successful, so the pressure is on to live up to Sporting’s considerable potential.

In and Out
IN: D Seth Sinovic (11/28: trade from Montreal); M Paulo Nagamura (11/29: trade from Chivas USA); M/D Bobby Convey (12/2: trade from San Jose); F Dom Dwyer (1/12: SuperDraft); D Cyprian Hedrik (1/12: SuperDraft); M Michael Thomas (1/18: Ljungskile SK/Sweden); F Jacob Peterson (1/19: free/San Jose Earthquakes)

OUT: M Davy Arnaud (11/28: trade to Montreal); M Jéferson (11/23: waived); D Scott Lorenz (11/23: waived); M Craig Rocastle (11/23: waived); D Seth Sinovic (11/23: expansion draft) M Milos Stojcev (11/23: waived); F Omar Bravo (12/12: Cruz Azul/Mexico); D Shavar Thomas (12/12: option declined); M Daneil Cyrus (1/22: waived)

Star Attraction: Kei Kamara
Kamara becomes leader in KC
Kamara didn’t want to come to Kansas City when Houston traded him to the then-Wizards in September 2009 for Abe Thompson (Remember him? No? Exactly.) and allocation money. How things have changed since then for the Sierra Leone international. The forward is a fixture with his national team, a star for his club side and a big reason why Sporting expects to be in the MLS Cup final this year.

Kamara’s flair and creativity in the attacking area don’t extend simply to shooting. He has a knack for the well-placed cross or the give-and-go, just as well as for a spectacular half-volley or bicycle kick. At 27, he is hitting his stride – and that’s sure to attract attention from European sides, so Sporting fans had better enjoy the show while it lasts.

Unsung Hero: Júlio César
The well-traveled Brazilian carries a journeyman tag, sure – but he also brings a wealth of quiet assets to his spot in the defensive midfield. He’s a solid, steadying, hard-working presence in front of that young backline, and at 33 years old, has the experience and game smarts to know when to move forward. Also, the guy played for Real Madrid; he knows what it takes to play the game at the highest club level, and those sort of intangibles translate in training as well as on the field.

Ready for Primetime: Aurélien Collin
The physical central defender has become a fan favorite as much for his outsized personality as for his gritty play. Case in point, he suffered a serious back injury last year and still came back at the end of the season. Collin is at his best banging around with the opposition’s big guys, but is also surprisingly deft with his feet. If he can avoid discipline and injury problems this season, Collin and Matt Besler could give Sporting one of the league’s best center back pairings.

Storylines to Watch
1. Will there be enough action up front to go around? Young strikers Soony Saad and Dom Dwyer will be pushing hard to be in the offensive mix, along with proven scorers Sapong, Kamara and Bunbury. Jacob Peterson is hoping to reignite his career as well. Can manager Peter Vermes keep all of his forwards happy with playing time?

2. Who’s the man at center forward? Sapong was a super sub last year, but does his Rookie of the Year season – and Bunbury’s late preseason call-up to the US Olympic team – mean that Sapong will enter this season as the starter?

3. Who will be the team’s heart and soul? The players who have defined the club’s identity in seasons past are gone now, with Davy Arnaud the most recent to depart in the Expansion Draft. Who will step into that high-profile spot, either as captain or unofficial spokesman?

What He Said
“Everybody’s focused and ready to rebuild off last season. We were pretty fit coming in last year, and for us to top that this year shows how focused and determined everybody is. We want to get to [MLS Cup] and win it.”

– Sporting KC forward C.J. Sapong

If Everything Goes Right:
Sporting stayed in the Eastern Conference when Montreal moved up a level into MLS, so a regular-season conference championship isn’t out of the question – with or without a Designated Player. The regular season, though, is secondary to the club’s stated goal of reaching the MLS Cup Final. If everyone stays healthy, and there’s no playoff collapse, that’s where Sporting should end its season.

Steve Brisendine covers Sporting KC for MLSsoccer.com.

[|Zach|]

Goalkeepers

Depth Chart: 1. Jimmy Nielsen, 2. Eric Kronberg, 3. Jon Kempin

Strengths: Nielsen is a master of positioning, with quick reflexes if he gets caught out. Kronberg, despite being sidelined for four to six weeks with a lower back injury, is a No. 1 waiting to happen, either with Sporting or elsewhere.

Weaknesses: If Nielsen goes down, Kronberg’s injury means that Kempin will be a teenager thrown into a position that rewards age and experience.

Wildcard: This is Kronberg’s last contract year, unless Sporting picks up his option. Will he look to make a move somewhere else with Nielsen signed through 2013?

READ: 2012 Sporting KC Preview

Defense

Depth Chart: LB 1. Seth Sinovic, 2. Korede Aiyegbusi; CB Aurélien Collin – Matt Besler, 2. Lawrence Olum, 3. Cyprian Hedrick; RB 1. Chance Myers, 2. Michael Harrington, 3. Kevin Ellis

Strengths: Besler and Collin are a solid tandem in the middle. Myers and Sinovic are both capable of overlapping runs, and Myers has a right winger’s crossing ability.

Weaknesses: Depth remains a question mark, especially in the middle. Sinovic had some problems last year, especially late in matches, with getting beaten at the byline.

Wildcard: If Collin stays healthy and out of yellow-card trouble, this could be a monster season for the tough Frenchman.

SEE: Preseason Schedule and Results

Midfield

Depth Chart: LCM 1. Roger Espinoza, 2. Michael Thomas, Luke Sassano; 3. Paulo Nagamura; CDM 1. Júlio César, 2. Paulo Nagamura, 3. Luke Sassano; RCM 1. Graham Zusi, 2. Konrad Warzycha, 3. Peterson Joseph

Strengths: Sporting are deep and experienced at the defensive mid spot. Espinoza is still aggressive but playing smarter in the holding role. Zusi has emerged as a threat on free kicks and from just about anywhere from distance.

Weaknesses: With no true distributing midfielder, the passing game can break down in the middle third.

Wildcard: Nagamura will be expected to provide box-to-box depth, meaning he could slip into any of the midfield spots as either a sub or a starter. That puts pressure on him to connect quickly with the players around him.

READ: Sporting KC 2011 season statistics

Forwards

Depth Chart: LF 1. Bobby Convey, 2. Jacob Peterson; CF 1. C.J. Sapong, 2. Teal Bunbury, 3. Soony Saad, 4. Dom Dwyer; RF 1. Kei Kamara, 2. Jacob Peterson

Strengths: Sporting are loaded with quality at the center forward spot, meaning manager Peter Vermes can keep fresh legs in the attack. Convey is back at his natural spot on the left flank, happy to be there and motivated to prove that his old team was wrong to put him at left back. Kamara is dangerous both in wide areas and in the middle.

Weaknesses: Convey is the only true left winger. Vermes must find a way to keep all of his talented target forwards engaged, which might mean a good deal of lineup shuffling.

Wildcard: When he’s on, Bunbury has the ability to be both elegant and deadly. But when he isn’t, he struggles with first touches and creating space in the attacking third.

[Disgruntled_Parent via SR's IP in GA]

My son played, I pulled him from the league due to strawberry bruses on his legs.

poor kid

[|Zach|]

Expanded thoughts on the possibility of Big Kempin at goal.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...le-kansas-city



Unless something changes over the next week, Sporting Kansas City will start the season with a teenager as the backup goalkeeper.

Longtime No. 2 Eric Kronberg is expected to be out four to six weeks with a bulging disk in his lower back, although manager Peter Vermes told MLSsoccer.com on Friday that the condition will not require surgery.

That leaves Jon Kempin, a Sporting KC Home Grown player who doesn’t turn 19 until April 8, as veteran Jimmy Nielsen’s lone backup – for now, anyway.

On the surface, that might sound a little dire. Kempin, who turned pro at 17, has no MLS appearances and seemed a little rattled at times in Wednesday’s 3-0 exhibition loss to Vancouver. The entire Sporting team was shaky in that match, though, and Kempin does have the advantage of familiarity with the club – even if all of his experience with the first team has come in training and exhibitions.

“He’s young, obviously, and we don’t want to rush him into things,” Vermes said. “But he’s definitely capable. He’s been with us for a year-and-a-half, and he’s been very good in training, but the biggest thing with every ’keeper is going to be the number of games they have.

“Obviously, you’re not going to keep rotating guys at that position, or giving guys game minutes here and there the way you would at other positions,” Vermes added. “So for ’keepers, it’s a lot more difficult to get that experience. These situations are never perfect, but we have to use guys based on what we have.”

Sporting have had two goalkeeping trialists in camp as well, in Scott Angevine and Steve Spangler. Spangler still has a shot at making the active roster as the third ’keeper while Kronberg is out, Vermes said. But the club is keeping its options open.

“We’ll probably take Kronberg and put him on the injury roster, and then have just two [goalkeepers] active right now,” said Vermes, whose team opens the season on March 10 at D.C. United. “Then we’ll figure out what to do with that third position. It may be that we sign a guy for that time period, and we’re still looking at Spangler, or we could use a league pool goalkeeper.”

It’s possible that Kronberg could have had the bad disk for some time before it was discovered, Vermes said, but added that he expects his No. 2 to make a full recovery.

“He’ll be fine,” he said. “He’s a good kid, very strong mentally. It’s just frustrating for him because he works hard.”

[Predarat]

Maybe they can bring back Enzo!