Lineup Predictions: Sporting KC vs. D.C. United

Before the season started, Peter Vermes was very clear the team that took the field against Inter Miami in CONCACAF Champions Cup would look a lot different than a month from that game. He echoed the same sentiment from the beginning of preseason up to that point.

And the team does look different in a lot of ways, but awfully similar in others. The defense has given up some shambolic goals through the first four matches (two games in MLS and two in CCC). The injections of new DPs Dejan Joveljic and Manu Garcia has brought a spark. More recently, the same could be said for new right-winger Shapi Suleymanov.

But possession without purpose re-appeared at the end of the San Jose Earthquakes game. Despite being up a man for over 40 minutes, Sporting KC took no more shots on goal. It was slow, methodical passing that didn’t challenge the 10-man San Jose squad.

I’m willing to chalk that up to short rest and therefore fatigue. That’s not an excuse again until the middle of May. And it’s ridiculous for the third straight season SKC play St. Louis City on short rest.

#SportingKC played 4 games in 11 days to start 2025.They don't get forced into any congestion again until May: @ Portland – May 10th@ St. Louis – May 14th@ San Diego – May 17th(Though that's a brutal 3 in 8 days all on the road)

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-03-02T18:11:51.984Z

Let’s make some lineup predictions, position-by-position.

Goalkeeper

John Pulskamp will be the starter here. He made a massive gaff against San Jose to give up the eventual game winning goal, but it wasn’t all on him. At the same time, the rest of the goals he’s given up were hardly his fault. The team has decided he is the goalkeeper, and I foresee him getting the vast majority of the minutes.

Right Back

The injury report is currently a little up in the air. On Tuesday, Daniel Sperry reported Dany Rosero and Andrew Brady were held out of practice. Last week, Khiry Shelton had been upgraded to questionable with 1st round pick Jansen Miller moving to out.

So far, Jake Davis has sucked up all the right back minutes with a few minutes of Brody getting into games late. Vermes was candid RB isn’t Jake’s best spot, but they needed him there. I’m hoping between Brady and Shelton, Davis doesn’t need to see another minute at RB this season. He’s needed elsewhere.

Update 3/8/25: Brody is out. So, it won’t be him. Shelton may play, but I expect we’ll see Davis at right back again. 

The #SportingKC Player Status Report for #DCvSKC presented by @ChildrensMercy. pic.twitter.com/F2fXUl9HYn

— Sporting KC Communications (@SportingKC_PR) March 7, 2025

Center Backs

The news of Rosero sitting out could cause him to not be ready to go. I’m intrigued to see what Joaquin Fernandez and Rosero can do together if they finally get a chance. If Rosero can’t go, Robert Voloder is the next man up.

Left Back

I was surprised to see Tim Leibold play left back against Miami and SJ last week. To my eyes, Logan Ndenbe is the better player and was seemingly available. Pencil him in.

Defensive Midfielder

Nemanja Radoja was making north of $1.5 million in 2024. When you pay a guy that much, you expect he’ll be starting most games at the defensive midfielder spot if he’s healthy. However, 19-year-old Homegrown Jacob Bartlett has gotten most of those minutes. It’ll be interesting to see if on full rest Vermes goes back to Radoja. Or do you just keep playing the kid knowing Radoja is almost certainly out of the door after this season.

I’d also like to see Barlett since his brother, Lucas, is a starter for D.C. United.

Box-to-Box Midfielder (#8)

This needs to be Jake Davis. The team is missing his physicality, unstoppable running and frankly the offense he brings form this spot. If it’s not him, there is a real hole in your lineup. Radoja played some of these minutes and looked awful. Memo Rodriguez is fine off the bench, but he can’t cover ground like Jake. And Zorhan Bassong can cover the ground but is completely ineffective on offense. Here is to hoping there is someone healthy enough at right back to allow Davis to solidify this spot as his.

Attacking Midfielder (#10)

Technically, PV’s 4-3-3 calls for dual no. 8 midfielders. However, the left-sided midfielder always seems to be more attack oriented. Whatever you want to call this spot, Manu Garcia will be claiming these minutes this year. With another week of practice under his belt, hopefully he’ll develop more of a connection with all the attackers ahead of him on the field.

Right Wing

Based on the small sample size, I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Shapi Suleymanov. He’s the only left-footed winger on the roster and Peter likes these guys inverting into the box. The team experimented a little with Daniel Salloi and Erik Thommy playing wide right in preseason but neither seem too comfortable out there.

Center Forward

It’s your new Designated Player, Dejan Joveljic, without a doubt. He hasn’t done much yet and PV should be willing to put on William Agada if things aren’t flowing right. But Joveljic has barely practiced with Shapi and Manu and they need a chance to build chemistry.

Left Wing

I honestly don’t know who is going to start here. Vermes was asked about Erik Thommy being captain and he spoke highly of him but ended with “he’s the guy right now.” Perhaps that means he won’t force Thommy into the lineup just to have his captain on.

I suspect this will be either Erik Thommy or Daniel Salloi. Stephen Afrifa probably deserves a chance, but it’s cluttered over on the left. If you make me pick, I’m taking Salloi because I want to see him with a proper #10 (Garcia) next to him and Ndenbe behind him. He was at his best when he had Gadi Kinda next to him and he dropped off a cliff last year without him. However, Salloi has looked ineffective so far this season, so the leash should be short if it’s not working.

Fan XI Voting

We asked you earlier this week to pick your lineups and it’s all over the place. It sort of shows how unclear it is where guys will lineup, who is available and who really are the best options so far. Here is what you all came up with (starters in italics).

GOALKEEPER: Pulskamp (98.7%), Kortkamp/Schewe (1.3%)

DEFENSE: Fernandez (78.7%), Logan Ndenbe (74.7%), Dany Rosero (73.3%), Andrew Brody (45.3%), Voloder (46.7%)*, Davis (37.3%), Leibold (28.0%), Shelton (13.3%), James (2.7%)

MIDFIELD: Garcia (94.7%), Davis (56.0%), Bartlett (49.3%), Thommy (40.0%), Radoja (37.3%), Rodriguez/Bassong (13.3%)

WINGERS: Suleymanov (90.7%), Erik Thommy (46.7%), Salloi (33.3%), Afrifa (21.3%), Agada/Joveljic/Shelton (1.3%)

STRIKER: Joveljic (97.4%), Agada (2.6%)

• Voloder got a higher percentage than Brody, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say no one wants him at RB but that the CB vote was just so split it didn’t play out perfectly.