Ahead of Saturday's home match vs Minnesota United FC, SportingKC.com caught up with Goal.com's Thomas Floyd to preview #SKCvMIN. Live coverage of Saturday's match (4 p.m. CT) is available on ESPN, WatchESPN, ESPN Deportes, Sports Radio 810 WHB, and La Grande 1340 AM. Check out MatchDay Central for complete online coverage.
What are your thoughts on the Western Conference so far this season?
The Eastern Conference seems to be stronger top to bottom this season, but the West has made for a tighter race when you consider just seven points separate first place from seventh. Uneven play from traditional powers like the LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders has certainly opened the door for the likes of Houston, San Jose and Portland to emerge as contenders after strong offseasons.
After a slow start in March, Minnesota’s form has improved during April and May (including a 2-0 win vs Sporting KC). What are your thoughts on their first season in MLS?
This is a team that definitely needed time to find an identity and properly evaluate its roster. Just two players (Francisco Calvo and Kevin Molino) who started the season opener have been regulars during the club's recent surge. While there's no doubt the squad that kicked off 2017 was ill equipped to handle MLS, the staff has since done well to weed out the weak links, make moves to bolster the roster and zero in on a style of play that works.
What players or match-ups are you looking forward to seeing on Saturday?
Christian Ramirez and Ike Opara have been two of the better feel-good stories in MLS this season, and they'll surely be in for a physical evening considering how much Minnesota relies on Ramirez as the focal point of their attack.
Sporting KC is unbeaten (5-0-1) at home and Minnesota is winless on the road (0-4-2) this season. Do you expect either of these trends to change on Saturday?
I do not. Children's Mercy Park obviously is a fortress, and while Minnesota has improved of late, you still get the sense this team is an underdog that needs the comforts of home to overcome more talented opposition.
Both teams will be missing players due to international duty and suspensions. How do you think this might impact the match?
It'll be a significantly different game than if both teams were at 100 percent. We know Saad Abdul-Salaam can capably fill in for Graham Zusi at right back, but with Matt Besler and Erik Palmer-Brown on international duty (and Kevin Ellis out injured), Sporting KC will have major questions in central defense. Suspensions for Roger Espinoza and Sam Cronin will take a bit of bite out of that central midfield battle as well.
