Three Additions and One Subtraction to the Sporting KC Injury Report

Sporting Kansas City return home for the second time this season setting off a run of five of the next six games being played in Kansas City. With the San Jose Earthquakes coming to town, unfortunately the injury report is climbing.

Sporting KC Injury/Availability Updates

OUT – Logan Ndenbe (Torn ACL), Khiry Shelton (ankle surgery), Ozzie Cisneros (hamstring)

QUESTIONABLE – Remi Walter (ankle), Daniel Salloi (hip), Andreu Fontas (hamstring)

Official #SportingKC Injury/Availability Report:

OUT – Cisneros (hamstring), Ndenbe (ACL surgery), Shelton (ankle surgery)

QUESTIONABLE – Andreu Fontas (hamstring), Daniel Salloi (hip), Remi Walter (ankle) #SKCvSJ

Photo Credit: @TheBackpost pic.twitter.com/IdFCxU8T30

— KC Soccer Journal (@KCSoccerJournal) March 15, 2024

The good news is Alenis Vargas is off the injury report. The bad news is three new names popped up on it and two of them are regular starters. Andreu Fontas and Daniel Salloi are both listed as questionable, while Homegrown midfielder Ozzie Cisneros popped back up with yet another injury.

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Starting XI Predictions

Let’s talk about those injuries. First, from Peter Vermes himself. He told the gathered media on Thursday a few guys were dealing with some injuries and chances wouldn’t be taken.

Vermes said there's a few guys dealing with small knocks that they don't want to exacerbate early. Maybe some lineup changes coming this weekend?

Remi is on track for availability but Vermes is still working through who is in the team on Saturday. #SportingKC

— Daniel Sperry (@sperrydaniel94) March 14, 2024

What if Fontas Can’t Play?

Of all the injuries, muscle injuries would seem to me to be the highest risk to make worse. It makes you wonder if playing all 11 starters for 90 minutes and using no subs could have led to this……..

Obviously, it’s a distinct possibility, but we’d need a source within the team to confirm when Andreu Fontas picked up his injury. It could have just as easily happened in practice and CBs are very unlikely to be subbed out of games barring injury.

If he can’t go, there are a few options. For me, Robert Voloder should be the guy. He’s a left-footed CB who has almost never played that spot for Kansas City because Fontas has remained in the lineup. The team paid a decent transfer fee for him, and he was said to have had quite the preseason. Get him on the field and see what he’s got!

The team has two more signed CBs in Robert Castellanos and Chris Rindov. While Rindov is closer to being a like-for-like replacement than Casti (Voloder is really the most like-for-like), Castellanos is the most likely to play. He seems to be 3rd on the depth chart, but he’s much more like Rosero than Fontas.

A dark horse for these minutes is Nemanja Radoja. That said, there are no other defensive midfielders on the team other than the unproven Danny Flores, and Radoja’s too valuable to pull out of that spot. Him staying at d-mid makes the CBs better, no matter who is behind him.

What if Salloi Can’t Play?

This one is much simpler. We’ve already seen Stephen Afrifa soak up some of winger minutes in both preseason and in regular season play. If Daniel can’t go, get Afrifa out there.

What if Walter Can’t Play?

While we covered this in detail last week, Memo Rodriguez seems to be the answer. I still think Felipe Hernandez is a much more similar player, but it’s unsurprising Peter Vermes went with the veteran presence. Whatever happens, Memo can’t play 90 minutes again. He isn’t fast in general, but being slow and tired probably should have led to an LAFC win on a few late game counter attacks. While Rodriguez (and others) had their moments against LA, there was way too much emergency defending for my liking.

Since Remi was supposedly about to play last week before suddenly not making the trip, I’d think he should be a week closer this time out and we could see him back in the starting lineup.

Lineup Notes

• It’s possible PV is just playing games with all these injuries, but I’ll say Fontas sits.
• If there is any sign of distress from Salloi or Remi though, get them off the field.
• Next up I’d really like to see some fresh legs in the midfield (Felipe or Memo for Walter or Thommy) and at forward. Depending on who needs a rest, it should be Willy Agada, Alenis Vargas or both coming in.
• No fan vote this week because the LAFC results were left in the poll in error.

Rest of the 20: Pulskamp, Rodriguez, Agada, Bassong, Pierre, Castellanos, Vargas, Afrifa, Hernandez