Of all the things the Union prioritized this offseason and preseason, building a deeper roster than in years past was probably the biggest.
They'll get an immediate chance to show off their newfound depth, as arguably their two best players -- veterans Maurice Edu and Tranquillo Barnetta -- are likely out for their season opener at FC Dallas on March 6 (3 p.m., The Comcast Network).
"There's 100 percent more depth, that is clear," Union head coach Jim Curtin said after the team's first practice back in the area after a month in Florida. "We have guys competing two guys at each spot, fighting for minutes. The competition is healthy. Without using names, I've seen it already where older guys are putting their arms around the younger guys they're competing with and helping them and mentoring them.
"It makes my job hard but it's a good headache to have for a first-team coach to have some tough decisions to make. I think I have more this year than ever before."
Curtin's lineup decisions may be a little easier Sunday considering he has fewer options. Without Edu, 14-year veteran Brian Carroll is the natural choice to start in the defensive midfield (and wear the captain's armband), along with Vincent Nogueira in Curtin's 4-2-3-1 formation.
That leaves Curtin to pick from Chris Pontius, Ilsinho and Roland Alberg -- their three biggest offseason acquisitions -- and possibly Leo Fernandes and Sebastien Le Toux for the other three midfield spots with C.J. Sapong starting up top. New York Cosmos import Walter Restrepo or youngster Eric Ayuk could also be in line for minutes on the wing.
No matter how he fields his first lineup of 2016, though, Curtin knows the team will miss the leadership of both Edu and Barnetta, who took turns wearing the captain's armband last season.
"It's hard," Curtin said. "They're two leaders in our group. To their credit, they both, in their own way, have done all they can do when you're not on the field, putting the arm around a younger player, doing a little mentoring, helping players as some of them prepare for a new league. They're doing their part in that way.
"They both want to be on the field. We want them to be on the field. That's when we're at our best and we know that as a club. But the reality is we have to prepare for FC Dallas, a very good team in our league and an MLS Cup contender, and we possibly could be doing it without two of our top guys."
The Edu injury is especially tough because early in the preseason, the captain seemed confident he'd be back by the opener after undergoing sports hernia surgery in October. But as he recovered from that, he developed a stress reaction in his leg which has caused him to miss all of the team's preseason training sessions.
"He wants to be on the field," Curtin said. "I think everyone is frustrated with the situation. But, at the same time, we have guys who have come in and done a good job. Mo is a leader of our group and a guy who's been a captain. We do miss him. That's obvious. His skills speak for themselves. But the game doesn't wait for anybody. We can't hold off the opener."
Barnetta, meanwhile, is dealing with tendonitis in his knee and recently had an injection " to try to loosen some things up," Curtin said, adding that it's "not a new injury" as soreness has developed from past surgeries. The Union coach even admitted that perhaps Barnetta returned from injuries "prematurely" last season after the three-time World Cup veteran was signed during the summer transfer window.
This year, though, they have the luxury of not pushing anyone back too soon, no matter how valuable they are to the club.
"That's a credit to the guys on our team," Curtin said. "We don't feel like we need to rush guys forward."
One reason for that is Ilshino, who was officially signed last week after training with the club throughout the preseason. Curtin hasn't entirely laid out how he'll use the Brazilian midfielder this season, but he did say that it was clear they needed to sign him early into his trial because "the talent speaks for itself" and he fit in well in the locker room.
And he had no issues with Ilsinho picking up two yellow cards and getting ejected from last week's preseason draw with the New York Red Bulls -- an interesting start to the Brazilian's MLS career, to say the least.
"I don't think anything Ilsinho did was malicious," Curtin said. "I have no problem with that. He's a competitor. He said in the Ukraine that not one of those is a foul. I'll always have my players' backs. There was some heated stuff going on in the sideline, but most of that was just me sticking up for Ilsinho and it showed our team is together."
Curtin hopes his team will continue to stick together -- without getting cards, of course -- when they hit the road to take on FC Dallas. And while it's quite a daunting season opener, the club's new players and new depth provide reasons for optimism in 2016.
"There are a lot of exciting things happening at the club," Curtin said. "This is the Union 2.0, to speak."
