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MLS 2009 Team Preview: Kansas City Wizards
After a late surge into the playoffs in 2008, the Wizards hope a few new faces will help push them to the next level in 2009.
Mar 3, 2009 11:47:23 PM
By Seth Vertelney
2008 Recap: A scintillating run of form at the end of the season propelled the Wizards into the playoffs after an indifferent start. The club started September in the basement of the Eastern Conference, but turned in a 5-1-2 record in the season's final two months, including a 3-1-0 October. Leading 1-0 in the first leg of their first round playoff series vs. Columbus, a disastrous Herculez Gomez red card swung momentum back to the Crew. Down to ten men, the 'Zards finally conceded a killer injury time equalizer. Their season ended in the return leg, as they lost 2-0 on the road to the eventual champs.
2008 was the first year the team called CommunityAmerica Ballpark home. Thanks to the recent groundbreaking on a new stadium, 2009 will be the Wizards' second-to-last season at their diminutive temporary digs. Despite it's clear shortcomings as a soccer facility, CAB turned into something of a fortress for the 'Zards, as opposing teams struggled to adjust to its bandbox-like dimensions.
Ultimately, the story of the Wizards 2008 season can be told with two contrasting themes: the maturation of their young defense, and their struggle to find goals in a veteran-laden attack. With veteran Jimmy Conrad as the nucleus, the Wizards saw rookie Jonathan Leathers and second-year players Aaron Hohlbein and Michael Harrington solidified their roles in the back. Meanwhile, offense was at a premium as the team finished 12th out of 14 MLS teams in goals scored. The lowlight was a 2008 MLS-worst 409 minute goalless drought between late May and late June.
Dearly Departed: Optimism abounds in Kansas City because this section is brief. Defender Tyson Wahl was probably the biggest loss when he was selected by Seattle in the expansion draft. Wahl became a full-time starter last season, but the Wizards have a solid nucleus of young defenders ready to fill the void. Midfielder Kerry Zavagnin retired, but his veteran leadership won't be lost, as he will return to the club as an assistant coach. Other departures (Ryan Pore, Ivan Trujillo, Carlos Marinelli) were bit-part players and won't be difficult to replace.
New Faces: Just two weeks after their season ended, the Wizards addressed their shortage of goalscorers by acquiring forward Adam Cristman from the Revolution. The 24 year-old was a finalist for Rookie of the Year honors in 2007, scoring four goals and adding four assists. In 2008, he upped his total to six goals while playing with a toe injury which eventually ended his season in early September.
For the second year in a row, the Wizards added an Argentinian veteran just prior to the start of the season. While Santiago Hirsig isn't quite the high-profile signing that his compatriot Claudio Lopez was, the club hopes his impact will be similar, if not greater. Hirsig, 31, is a veteran of eight seasons in the Argentinian first division, most recently plying his trade for powerhouse San Lorenzo. Known as a box-to-box midfielder, Hirsig will likely slide between a central and right midfield role for Kansas City.
The 2009 SuperDraft improved the team's depth at the least, and may go on to produce multiple future starters. With the eighth overall pick, the Wizards grabbed defender Matt Besler from Notre Dame to help offset the loss of Tyson Wahl. In the second round, the club bolstered their attack by adding midfielder Graham Zusi from Maryland and forward Doug DeMartin from Michigan State. Zusi has looked especially impressive in the preseason, and has likely earned a prominent role off the bench.
Probable Starting XI:
GK- Kevin Hartman
D-Michael Harrington
D-Aaron Hohlbein/Matt Besler
D- Jimmy Conrad
D-Jonathan Leathers
M-Roger Espinoza
M-Jack Jewsbury
M-Davy Arnaud
M-Santiago Hirsig
F-Claudio Lopez
F-Josh Wolff
Season Outlook: The Wizards finished 2008 on a high note and have good reason to be optimistic heading into 2009. They lost very little talent in the off season, and the players they did lose were more than offset by the quality of players brought in. The team's strength figures to come from a trio of veterans that will form its backbone: central defender Jimmy Conrad is the captain and stalwart of the team. Jack Jewsbury fills the holding midfield role, and Davy Arnaud will be relied upon to be the playmaker at the attacking midfield spot. Together, they have combined for 19 seasons with the Wizards.
Once again, the Wizards ability to produce offense will determine the course of their season. Santiago Hirsig is a fine addition, but with just 18 goals in 276 professional matches, he is hardly their goalscoring savior. The team insists it won't rush Adam Cristman back from his toe injury, so the onus will initially fall to Arnaud, Lopez, and Josh Wolff. If injuries or ineffectiveness are an issue, look for the team to make another mid season push for attacking help in a similar manner to 2008, when they signed Wolff in late June.
Predicted Placement: The Wizards are certainly better now than they were at the end of 2008, but the Eastern Conference will be a treacherous landscape to navigate in 2009. Columbus and Chicago still figure to be the class of the league, as they both held on to some key players rumored to be heading elsewhere in the off season. Toronto and MLS Cup finalist New York are much improved, which leaves New England and D.C. United- only the two most successful franchises in league history. Add it all up, and the Wizards should be right where they were at the end of last year: sneaking into the playoffs and a team no higher seed wants to see in the first round.
Did You Know? Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad was one of only six MLS players to play every single minute of every game in the 2008 season. The other five iron men are defender Jay Heaps of New England, and goalkeepers Kevin Hartman of Kansas City, Joe Cannon of San Jose, Jon Busch of Chicago, and Nick Rimando of Real Salt Lake.
Seth Vertelney is a regular contributor to Goal.com
2008 Recap: A scintillating run of form at the end of the season propelled the Wizards into the playoffs after an indifferent start. The club started September in the basement of the Eastern Conference, but turned in a 5-1-2 record in the season's final two months, including a 3-1-0 October. Leading 1-0 in the first leg of their first round playoff series vs. Columbus, a disastrous Herculez Gomez red card swung momentum back to the Crew. Down to ten men, the 'Zards finally conceded a killer injury time equalizer. Their season ended in the return leg, as they lost 2-0 on the road to the eventual champs.
2008 was the first year the team called CommunityAmerica Ballpark home. Thanks to the recent groundbreaking on a new stadium, 2009 will be the Wizards' second-to-last season at their diminutive temporary digs. Despite it's clear shortcomings as a soccer facility, CAB turned into something of a fortress for the 'Zards, as opposing teams struggled to adjust to its bandbox-like dimensions.
Ultimately, the story of the Wizards 2008 season can be told with two contrasting themes: the maturation of their young defense, and their struggle to find goals in a veteran-laden attack. With veteran Jimmy Conrad as the nucleus, the Wizards saw rookie Jonathan Leathers and second-year players Aaron Hohlbein and Michael Harrington solidified their roles in the back. Meanwhile, offense was at a premium as the team finished 12th out of 14 MLS teams in goals scored. The lowlight was a 2008 MLS-worst 409 minute goalless drought between late May and late June.
Dearly Departed: Optimism abounds in Kansas City because this section is brief. Defender Tyson Wahl was probably the biggest loss when he was selected by Seattle in the expansion draft. Wahl became a full-time starter last season, but the Wizards have a solid nucleus of young defenders ready to fill the void. Midfielder Kerry Zavagnin retired, but his veteran leadership won't be lost, as he will return to the club as an assistant coach. Other departures (Ryan Pore, Ivan Trujillo, Carlos Marinelli) were bit-part players and won't be difficult to replace.
New Faces: Just two weeks after their season ended, the Wizards addressed their shortage of goalscorers by acquiring forward Adam Cristman from the Revolution. The 24 year-old was a finalist for Rookie of the Year honors in 2007, scoring four goals and adding four assists. In 2008, he upped his total to six goals while playing with a toe injury which eventually ended his season in early September.
For the second year in a row, the Wizards added an Argentinian veteran just prior to the start of the season. While Santiago Hirsig isn't quite the high-profile signing that his compatriot Claudio Lopez was, the club hopes his impact will be similar, if not greater. Hirsig, 31, is a veteran of eight seasons in the Argentinian first division, most recently plying his trade for powerhouse San Lorenzo. Known as a box-to-box midfielder, Hirsig will likely slide between a central and right midfield role for Kansas City.
The 2009 SuperDraft improved the team's depth at the least, and may go on to produce multiple future starters. With the eighth overall pick, the Wizards grabbed defender Matt Besler from Notre Dame to help offset the loss of Tyson Wahl. In the second round, the club bolstered their attack by adding midfielder Graham Zusi from Maryland and forward Doug DeMartin from Michigan State. Zusi has looked especially impressive in the preseason, and has likely earned a prominent role off the bench.
Probable Starting XI:
GK- Kevin Hartman
D-Michael Harrington
D-Aaron Hohlbein/Matt Besler
D- Jimmy Conrad
D-Jonathan Leathers
M-Roger Espinoza
M-Jack Jewsbury
M-Davy Arnaud
M-Santiago Hirsig
F-Claudio Lopez
F-Josh Wolff
Season Outlook: The Wizards finished 2008 on a high note and have good reason to be optimistic heading into 2009. They lost very little talent in the off season, and the players they did lose were more than offset by the quality of players brought in. The team's strength figures to come from a trio of veterans that will form its backbone: central defender Jimmy Conrad is the captain and stalwart of the team. Jack Jewsbury fills the holding midfield role, and Davy Arnaud will be relied upon to be the playmaker at the attacking midfield spot. Together, they have combined for 19 seasons with the Wizards.
Once again, the Wizards ability to produce offense will determine the course of their season. Santiago Hirsig is a fine addition, but with just 18 goals in 276 professional matches, he is hardly their goalscoring savior. The team insists it won't rush Adam Cristman back from his toe injury, so the onus will initially fall to Arnaud, Lopez, and Josh Wolff. If injuries or ineffectiveness are an issue, look for the team to make another mid season push for attacking help in a similar manner to 2008, when they signed Wolff in late June.
Predicted Placement: The Wizards are certainly better now than they were at the end of 2008, but the Eastern Conference will be a treacherous landscape to navigate in 2009. Columbus and Chicago still figure to be the class of the league, as they both held on to some key players rumored to be heading elsewhere in the off season. Toronto and MLS Cup finalist New York are much improved, which leaves New England and D.C. United- only the two most successful franchises in league history. Add it all up, and the Wizards should be right where they were at the end of last year: sneaking into the playoffs and a team no higher seed wants to see in the first round.
Did You Know? Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad was one of only six MLS players to play every single minute of every game in the 2008 season. The other five iron men are defender Jay Heaps of New England, and goalkeepers Kevin Hartman of Kansas City, Joe Cannon of San Jose, Jon Busch of Chicago, and Nick Rimando of Real Salt Lake.
Seth Vertelney is a regular contributor to Goal.com
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