Photo by John Rieger/USA Today Sports
By TATE STEINLAGE
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Sporting Kansas City spent a pretty penny this past offseason to bring in Luis Marin. The exact figure has not been made public, but for an international goalkeeper with national team experience, the cost likely isn’t cheap.
The price of admission may be even more eye-opening now that Marin has given up six goals in his last two starts and was benched Sunday in favor of Tim Melia, the former Chivas USA player who made the most of his opportunity by organizing a 1-0 shutout over the Chicago Fire.
With Marin still finding his footing in a new league and country, and Melia proving he has what it takes, Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes finds himself in an interesting predicament. One that begs the question: Is the goalkeeping situation wide open right now?
“Seriously?” Vermes said when asked that very question Sunday. “What is this, quarterback day or what? Tim had a very good game and that’s it. That’s where we are right now.”
Melia finished Sunday’s game with just two saves but was confident distributing the ball and getting Sporting KC out of tricky situations. The cleansheet he recorded was the club’s first in nearly a month.
“He was excellent,” Sporting KC captain Matt Besler said. “I’m very happy for him. I think we have two very good goalkeepers. Tim did a great job with his chance that he was given. I can’t really say enough about him.”
But Sporting KC is also still confident in Marin, who has already recorded three shutouts this season in eight starts.
Vermes added after the game on Sunday that sometimes it is better for a player to sit out and examine the action to see areas of improvement.
“I think he hasn’t been as sharp as he should be,” Vermes said of Marin. “I think maybe he’s lacked a little presence and confidence at times. He’s had a couple of chances here lately that if you’re watching the game you think maybe the goalkeeper should make that save. It happens sometimes.
“It’s not that he’s a bad goalkeeper or that he has bad qualities or all these things. Maybe it’s just been a little much at this point. The bottom line is that’s why you have 2-3 players in each position; when someone isn’t in form or injured or whatever it might be, you bring somebody else in.”
One factor Vermes hasn’t shied away from with Marin has been communication. A native of Valparaíso, Chile, Marin’s first language is Spanish. He’s made a conscience effort to strengthen his English since signing with Kansas City in December, but the language “barrier” remains.
Vermes has noted the importance of jumping that hurdle in the past, but he’s not about to attribute Marin’s recent form to any sort of gap in language.
“Look, I’ve played in three different countries myself and the game’s international. It’s a worldwide language, you understand how to play the game,” Vermes said. “I don’t think it’s ever a communication problem, I just don’t.
“It’s different when you say it’s a communication problem because someone doesn’t want to listen. That’s another thing, but that’s not the issue.”
Nevertheless, with Melia surging at an intriguing time, Sporting KC has questions to be answered at goalkeeper.
What do you think of Sporting KC’s goalkeeper situation? Is Marin the guy, or can Melia step up and take the starting job?
Share your thoughts below.
“He’s made a conscience effort to strengthen his English…”
Is that… intentionally ironic?
One of the biggest things to ask from a goalkeeper is consistency. Everyone is on Melia’s nuts after one game, but it’s a lot harder to be good consistently during the whole season.
I watched that game and thought – who is this keeper, he’s absolutely killing it.
Melia… he has earned it. That’s not to say Marin won’t get another chance… but you don’t stop a good thing, Melia had a chance, ran with it, and I say he keeps the job until he messes up.