Porter takes look at Crew’s reserves

Midweek games provide as many opportunities for reserve players as they cause critical thinking for coaching staffs.

In this window of three games in eight days, the Crew is missing so many crucial players that first-year coach Caleb Porter figured why not use a game Wednesday night at Real Salt Lake to put the reserves under a microscope.

While still maintaining some continuity and leadership on the Find a recap of the Crew’s game Wednesday at Real Salt Lake at Dispatch. com.

field, Porter wanted a last, in-game look at the team’s depth approaching the opening of the next transfer window Tuesday, hoping to settle on what players belong in his vision for the team.

“I’m still learning what the group can do because there have been some ups and downs with player performances,” Porter said, adding that the team is down to the second and third players at a lot of positions.

Because of injury and international duty, the Crew has been without five of 11 regular starters since June 1. The club was missing seven starters in its previous game against Orlando City on Saturday, with Harrison Afful serving a one-game suspension for a red card and David Accam out because of a thigh injury.

The Crew plays Saturday at Mapfre Stadium against the Seattle Sounders, so Porter decided to use the middle game of this stretch — an away nonconference game — as the one to shuffle the lineup.

“In my opinion, in probably four or five spots, there’s not much change or difference (between the starter and backup), so there’s no reason not to rotate,” Porter said.

That rotation included the Major League Soccer debut for homegrown player Aboubacar Keita, a 19-year-old from Westerville. Porter said Tuesday that the defender had deserved a start and he wouldn’t just give players games to give them experience.

Midfielder Niko Hansen is on the opposite end of Keita when it comes to reserves. Hansen played 22 games last season with 11 starts, scoring three goals with three assists. Even with injuries and rotating personnel in the attacking midfield, he has played just 180 minutes in eight games this season and has been left off the 18-player roster at times.

Playing 13 minutes against Orlando, Hansen said he has to maximize those opportunities to show he deserves more consideration in the lineup.

“I think it’s just staying positive and knowing there’s a path and there’s a process,” Hansen said. “I know it’s going to come.”

Notable

The Crew hired former Crew player Ezra Hendrickson as an assistant coach. Hendrickson replaces Mike Matkovich, who Porter said left the team because of health reasons.