Left Back: Lade or Steele?

While everyone was busy paying attention to the new found conundrum at right back -- Markus Holgersson or Heath Pearce -- we seemed to have forgotten all about the other side of the field.

With Roy Miller on Gold Cup duty with Costa Rica, Mike Petke needs to find a new left back for Sunday's game against the Houston Dynamo. Normally, the suggestion would be Pearce, but if Holgersson slots in at right back, he'll have to play centrally lest Head Coach Mike Petke start Digao.

But that won't happen. Heath Pearce has, reportedly, picked up a knock and there's no timetable for his return. So in addition to making a decision on the right, Petke has choices to make on the left and center of the defense. On the left side of the field, reports suggest he's looking at Connor Lade, who we haven't seen much of this season, Jonny Steele or Kosuke Kimura.

Kimura got one start already this season at left back, in Montreal and Steele filled in there in his Real Salt Lake days, but neither are full time left backs the way Lade was last year.

Of course, if Lade gets the start, that frees up Kimura to challenge Brandon Barklage on the right, supposing Holgersson doesn't get the nod there. If Holgersson does end up at full back, that leaves a hole centrally that could be filled by Digao or even Matt Miagza, though that's highly unlikely.

Whatever decision Petke makes, they'll start alongside Jamison Olave, who reports say will be available this weekend after serving a red card suspension.