Some rookies. An ultimate disappointing acquisition in Nuno Coelho. An always seeming stop-gap insertion of Kevin Ellis. A just-never-seemed-permanent Erik Palmer-Brown situation. The backups for stalwart, and sometimes injured, center backs Matt Besler and Ike Opara at Sporting Kansas City have always seemed tenuous, causing concern in, and sometimes ire from, fans and pundits alike.
But Friday night’s insertion of Argentine Emiliano Amor into Opara’s right center back spot due to Opara’s illness (see below) and the first appearance of veteran Brad Evans in the 18 has perhaps brought stability and true depth to the critical position on Peter Vermes’ squad in 2018.